How the Mercury Landed Key Talent in the 1999 WNBA Draft

The Phoenix Mercury, an original WNBA team, achieved early success with a 16-12 record in their first season and made the playoffs. They returned to the playoffs the following year, advancing to the WNBA Finals in 1998, where they lost 2-1 to the Houston Comets. This marked their last Finals appearance until 2007, when they won the championship by defeating the Detroit Shock.

After the 1998 Finals, the Mercury missed the playoffs in the subsequent season but strengthened their roster through the 1999 draft, utilizing four picks—one in each round. Their first-round selection was Edna Campbell, who averaged 9.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in her rookie year before moving to other teams like the Seattle Storm, Sacramento Monarchs, and San Antonio Silver Stars.

In the second round, they drafted Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, who played one season with the Mercury, averaging 9.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. The third-round pick, Lisa Harrison, contributed from 1999 to 2003, with her best season in 2002 averaging 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds, and she briefly returned in 2005. Their final pick, Amanda Wilson, played 15 games over two seasons before being waived, solidifying the draft's role in adding talent to the team's history.