The Phoenix Mercury finished the 2002 season with a record of 11-21. They were taking a step backward, and they missed the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Things were starting to change for Phoenix, and one of those changes involved the head coach.
Dec 30, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans head coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke in the second half of the game against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion. UCLA won 78-73. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Cynthia Cooper became the Mercury’s coach in 2001, and while she started off as their coach in the 2002 season, she resigned after 10 games. The Mercury were 6-4 in those games, and when Cooper left, Linda Sharp took over. Phoenix went 5-17 in its remaining games, and the franchise was second-to-last in the West. The Minnesota Lynx were the only team under them, and they finished the season with a record of 10-22.
Phoenix was rebuilding, and it took some time before the Mercury returned to the playoffs. When they did, they had an exceptional group, and they finished their championship-winning season with a record of 23-11. The Mercury just missed the playoffs in 2008, but they returned in 2009. They won another championship, and for the next few years, they remained a playoff team. However, that changed in 2012.
Sep. 21, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Samantha Prahalis (99) handles the ball against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images
The Mercury finished the 2012 season with a record of 7-27, and that remains their worst record in history. They added Samantha Prahalis, and while she had a good season, the Mercury struggled. She averaged 11.6 points, 4.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals, and she made the All-Rookie Team.
Prahalis’ performance was a bright spot, but it was still a difficult period for the Mercury. They had multiple losing streaks, and their longest was a 10-game streak. It started with a game against the Los Angeles Sparks, and they lost to teams like the San Antonio Silver Stars, the Atlanta Dream and others.
Sep. 21, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard DeWanna Bonner (24) and guard Samantha Prahalis (99) react on the court during the game against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images
Phoenix snapped that streak with a win over the Seattle Storm, and DeWanna Bonner led the team to victory. She had 24 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
It was a bad year for the Mercury, and once that was over, they received the first pick of the 2013 WNBA Draft. They drafted Brittney Griner, and she became one of the franchise’s best players. The Mercury quickly recovered that time, and in the center’s second season, they made history.
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