The Phoenix Mercury have had talented players over the years, and some of them achieved great things during their time with the team.
The Mercury have had some All-Stars over the years, and it all began with Jennifer Gillom and Michele Timms. Phoenix’s first two players made the All-Star Game in 1999, and after that, other Mercury players made it.
Brandy Reed made it in 2000, and she was the lone Mercury player in that game. A few years, Adrian Williams-Strong made it, and she was the team’s only representative.
Pitbull performs during the halftime show of the WNBA All-Star Game at Footprint Center in Phoenix on July 20, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Williams-Strong had some solid seasons with the Mercury, and she started her career with them. She was drafted by Phoenix in the 2000 WNBA Draft. Williams-Strong averaged 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in her first year, and she played 28 games. She started in two of them.
After her first year, the Mercury’s All-Star began to play more, and in 2002, she became a consistent starter. After the 2002 season, she averaged a career-high 9.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals. That was the year she became an All-Star.
Jun 14, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; A basketball goes through the hoop during warm ups before the Golden State Valkyries play the Seattle Storm at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images / Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Williams-Strong has a special place in Mercury history, and when it comes to the franchise’s steals list, she is one of the Mercury legends featured on it. She is 10th on the list, and she had a total of 145 steals.
During her All-Star season, Williams-Strong had her career high in steals. She did it in a game against the San Antonio Silver Stars. San Antonio defeated Phoenix, but Phoenix’s forward had a strong performance on the defensive end.
Williams-Strong had five steals, and she also played well on the offensive side. She had 11 points and two assists in that game, and when it came to rebounding, she had one offensive board. She had nine rebounds total, so her others were on the defensive end. Then, to top things off, she had a block.
Aug 30, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Washington Mystics players shoes before the game against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
The Mercury had three other players who scored in double figures. Anna DeForge had 14 points, and she also had three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Iziane Castro Marques also had 11 points, and she had two rebounds and two steals in the process. Tamicha Jackson had 10 points, three assists, three steals and two rebounds.
Phoenix’s All-Star came to play in that game, and that was one of many performances that helped secure her place on a franchise list.
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