Aug 3, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Wilson basketball is seen next to WNBA logo before a game between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Why The Mercury Shared The Wealth In 1999

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Phoenix Mercury missed the playoffs for the first time in 1999, and they finished the season with a record of 15-17. While that was not a bad record, it was not enough to get them into the postseason.

Before that, the Mercury made the playoffs twice, and they went further the second time. Phoenix faced the New York Liberty in their 1997 playoffs run, and the Liberty beat them 59-41. New York's win led to Rebecca Lobo, Teresa Weatherspoon and their teammates making the WNBA Finals, and they faced the Houston Comets. The Comets made history as they became he first team to win a WNBA championship.

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Phoenix had an impressive season in 1998, and after beating the Cleveland Rockers, the Mercury faced the Comets in the Finals. Houston won that series, and the franchise had another championship under its belt.

The 1999 season was a setback, but the Mercury quickly recovered. Then, things took a turn for the worse. Regardless, the Mercury had some solid performances in 1999, and some of their stars stood out in a certain area.

Mercury veteran leads the way

Phoenix had a total of 510 assists that year, and Michele Timms was the top facilitator. She did well in this area in the previous season, and this time around, she had 151. Her season high, which was also a career high, was 10 assists, and she did it against the Sacramento Monarchs. The Mercury did not have another player who tallied 100 assists, but there was someone who came close.

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Kristi Harrower had 96 assists during the season, and her top performance was against the Minnesota Lynx. She had nine assists in that game, and the Mercury got a big win over one of the WNBA's new teams.

Jennifer Gillom was third in assists, and she had 54. She had five assists against the Rockers, and the Mercury beat them 76-67. Lisa Harrison was right behind the Mercury star, and she had 53. She had that amount against the Utah Starzz, and as one of Phoenix's rookies, she proved that she could contribute.