Phoenix Mercury

The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. One of eight original franchises, the Mercury were founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season. The team plays home games at Mortgage Matchup Center, which they share with the NBA's Phoenix Suns.

The Mercury have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in 19 of their 30 seasons. They reached the WNBA Finals six times: 1998, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2021, and 2025. They lost to Houston in 1998, Chicago in 2021, and Las Vegas in 2025, but won championships in 2007, 2009, and 2014, defeating Detroit, Indiana, and Chicago respectively. The franchise has been home to legends like Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Penny Taylor.

In February 2023, Mat Ishbia, a former Michigan State college basketball player and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, completed the acquisition of the Mercury from Robert Sarver. Ishbia also owns the Phoenix Suns, and both teams maintain an official affiliation. [edit]

The Phoenix Mercury were established in 1997 as one of the eight charter franchises of the WNBA. The team played its first season under head coach Cheryl Miller, a Hall of Famer who led the Mercury to the WNBA Finals in 1998, where they lost to the Houston Comets. The Mercury struggled in the early 2000s but rebuilt around Diana Taurasi, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 draft. Taurasi, along with Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor, formed the core that won the franchise's first championship in 2007, defeating the Detroit Shock in five games.

The Mercury repeated as champions in 2009, sweeping the Indiana Fever behind Taurasi's Finals MVP performance. After a few rebuilding years, the team returned to prominence in 2014, winning its third title by defeating the Chicago Sky in a three-game sweep. Brittney Griner, the No. 1 pick in 2013, anchored the defense, while Taurasi and Taylor led the offense. The Mercury made another Finals appearance in 2021 under coach Sandy Brondello but lost to the Chicago Sky in four games. In 2025, they returned to the Finals again, falling to the Las Vegas Aces in five games.

Over the years, the Mercury have retired four jersey numbers: Michele Timms (No. 7), Penny Taylor (No. 13), Jennifer Gillom (No. 22), and Bridget Pettis (No. 32). Timms was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024. The franchise has led the WNBA in home attendance multiple times, including in 2021, reflecting strong fan support in Phoenix. [edit]