Why Mercury's Timms Impacted Both Ends Of The Floor

Michele Timms was an original Phoenix Mercury player, allocated to the team during the WNBA's inaugural player distribution phase alongside Jennifer Gillom. Both became the franchise's first All-Stars, with Timms starting in the inaugural 1999 All-Star Game and Gillom serving as a reserve.

Timms played her entire five-year WNBA career with the Mercury. Her best season was her first in 1997, where she averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 steals. That season, she finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting and fifth in MVP voting.

She scored a career-high 326 points in her rookie season, which included a personal best 24-point game against the Houston Comets. Her second-highest scoring season was 1998, with 207 points. Over her career, she totaled 866 points.

Timms participated in the playoffs twice. She scored 59 total postseason points, 54 of which came during the Mercury's 1998 run to the WNBA Finals, where they ultimately lost to the Houston Comets. Despite being known for her defense, she was also a consistent scorer for the franchise.