When the Phoenix Mercury swept the Chicago Sky in the 2014 WNBA Finals, it was the pinnacle of one of the greatest season in the sportís 18 year history. With a regular season record of 29-5 capped by a 7-1 record in the playoffs, this group of young women is arguably one of the best WNBA teams of all time.
If youíre a WNBA fan, youíve probably noticed that the Phoenix Mercury uniforms are a little different from those of other professional basketball teams. Thatís because the Mercury were one of the first non-soccer sports franchises in North Americaís major leagues to place a company logo on their uniforms. In 2009, the Mercury announced a sponsorship agreement with LifeLock, a identity theft protection service, that placed the companyís logo on the teamís basketball jerseys through the 2013 season. Starting in 2014, the teamís jerseys feature sponsorship logos for Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort. But sponsorship aside, whether sporting their sharp white home jerseys or their vivid purple away jerseys, these ladies know exactly what theyíre doing on the court.
During the 2014 playoffs, the Mercury players averaged 51.3% on field goals, 33.1% on three-point shots, and 85.6% from the free throw line. With these kinds of numbers, itís not surprising that they secured the victory in the Finals. In fact, Rebecca Lobo, an ESPN analyst and former WNBA star, has been quoted as saying that this team is ìdefinitely in the discussion as one of the best all time.î
The Mercury despite being one of the WNBAís original franchises, has had a rocky history. In their 18 year history, they have qualified for the playoffs nine times and won the WNBA Finals three times. In 2012, they had the second worst record in the WNBA with a final record of 7-27. However, with their 2013 top overall draft pick of Brittney Griner and new coach Sandy Brondello, they have come back with a vengeance.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens in the 2015 season with guard Diana Taurasi making the decision not to play. Her decision was reportedly prompted by a request from her Russian Premier League team who offered to pay her more than her WNBA salary to sit the season out. Taurasi has had the highest individual points per game for the Mercury in four of the past five years.
So, do you agree that the 2014 Phoenix Mercury are one of the best teams in WNBA history? And what do you think that Taurasiís departure will mean for the team?
Sources:http://www.wnba.com/mercury/http://www.wnba.com/mercury/stats/http://www.wnba.com/playoffs/2014/best_team_ever_2014_09_13.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Mercury
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