Diana Taurasi’s Mercury Prepares New Chapter in WNBA by Revisiting History Through Penny Taylor, Cheryl Miller, and More

The Mercury today boasts the finest like Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner. One of the most popular franchises with many historical moments and faces in its books is celebrating its 28th anniversary this year. And they have invited all the fans. The Mercury family will be unveiling banners for the leaders of the team who have made the Arizona-based original franchise of the WNBA an elite name. Let us learn more about their ‘Reimagined’ Ring of Honor.

Announcing the news on their official X account, the Mercury notified their followers about the half-time ceremony. The home opener against the Atlanta Dream on May 18, 2024, will be a memorable day for the franchise. They will pay tributes to the biggest personalities in the sport who have boosted Phoenix’s name.

The tweet was captioned, “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘅 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. We will honor the most prominent figures in team history with a reimagined Ring of Honor on May 18th – unveiling permanent new banners, hosting a halftime ceremony, and recognition of their outstanding contributions. We pay homage to the rich history they created here!”

Talking more about the celebratory event, Mercury owner Mat Ishbia said, “The Mercury is one of the original WNBA franchises and it’s important that we celebrate our 28-year history and those who have helped the organization become one of the league’s premier franchises. We look forward to recognizing the outstanding contributions of our Ring of Honor members and cementing their legacy in Mercury history with these new permanent banners.”

The iconic franchise will enshrine illustrious names like Jennifer Gillom, Bridget Pettis, Penny Taylor, and Michele Timms. The Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller will also be joining the ladies for her immaculate coaching that cemented Mercury’s name in the women’s professional basketball league.

A closer look at the legendary Mercury icons

Cheryl Miller, USC’s consecutive championship winner and Olympics gold medalist, will get her banner up in the Footprint Center. She was the first-ever head coach for the team and also their General Manager. Although her time in Phoenix only lasted for three years, her guidance for the team helped create a permanent impact in the WNBA. Her banner will read her name along with the years of her tenure.

Apart from Miller, Jennifer Gillom, who won the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award in 2002 for her ideal sportsmanship, will also be present. Further, Bridget Pettis, who bagged the first-ever basket for Mercury in 1997, holds the franchise’s record for 154 consecutive games played, and has won two WNBA champion titles as an assistant head coach, will also be remembered for her journey in Phoenix.

The team will also celebrate Penny Taylor. She brought 3 WNBA titles home. Additionally, she has collected several accolades as a player in Phoenix. Michelle Timms will also get her banner for her years as a part of the Mercury family. The fans will be able to see the banners above the east sideline in the rafters. The current team has also made murals of the honorees prepared by local artists Paige Reesor and Antoinette Cauley. These will be present at the CarMax Concourse of the home arena.