1999 Orlando Miracle season

WNBA team season
1999 Orlando Miracle season
CoachCarolyn Peck
ArenaTD Waterhouse Centre
Attendance9,801 per game
Results
Record15–17 (.469)
Place4th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Team Leaders
PointsShannon Johnson (14.0)
ReboundsTaj McWilliams (7.5)
AssistsShannon Johnson (4.4)
← 1998 season
2000 season →

The 1999 WNBA season was the Orlando Miracle's inaugural season. The Miracle tied for second place in the conference with the Detroit Shock and the Charlotte Sting. However, both Detroit and Charlotte beat Orlando in two of their three meetings during the regular season. Therefore, the Miracle were in fourth place and out of playoff contention.

Transactions

WNBA expansion draft

Player Nationality Former WNBA Team
Andrea Congreaves  United Kingdom Charlotte Sting
Kisha Ford  United States New York Liberty
Yolanda Moore  United States Houston Comets
Adrienne Johnson  United States Cleveland Rockers

WNBA allocation draft

Player Nationality School/Team/Country
Nykesha Sales  United States UConn
Shannon Johnson  United States Columbus Quest

WNBA draft

Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country
1 8 Tari Phillips  United States Colorado Xplosion
2 20 Sheri Sam  United States San Jose Lasers
3 32 Taj McWilliams-Franklin  United States Philadelphia Rage
4 44 Carla McGhee  United States Columbus Quest
4 50 Elaine Powell  United States Portland Power

Transactions

Date Transaction
April 6, 1999 Drafted Andrea Congreaves, Kisha Ford, Yolanda Moore and Adrienne Johnson in the 1999 WNBA expansion Draft[1]
May 3, 1999 Drafted Nykesha Sales and Shannon Johnson in the 1999 WNBA Allocation Draft[1]
May 4, 1999 Drafted Tari Phillips, Sheri Sam, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Carla McGhee and Elaine Powell in the 1999 WNBA Draft[1]

Roster

1999 Orlando Miracle roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs
F/C 3 United Kingdom Congreaves, Andrea 6' 2" (1.88m) 183 lb (83kg) 1970-06-03 Mercer 2
G/F 5 United States Ford, Kisha 5' 10" (1.78m) 153 lb (69kg) 1975-04-04 Georgia Tech 2
G 31 United States Johnson, Adrienne 5' 10" (1.78m) 154 lb (70kg) 1974-02-05 Ohio State 2
G 14 United States Johnson, Shannon 5' 7" (1.7m) 152 lb (69kg) 1974-08-18 South Carolina R
G 10 United States McGhee, Carla 6' 1" (1.85m) 173 lb (78kg) 1968-03-06 Tennessee R
F/C 11 United States McWilliams-Franklin, Taj 6' 2" (1.88m) 195 lb (88kg) 1970-10-20 St. Edward's R
F/C 33 United States Moore, Yolanda 6' 0" (1.83m) 175 lb (79kg) 1974-07-01 Mississippi 2
F/C 24 United States Phillips, Tari 6' 2" (1.88m) 200 lb (91kg) 1970-03-06 Central Florida R
G 50 United States Powell, Elaine 5' 8" (1.73m) 150 lb (68kg) 1975-08-09 LSU R
G/F 42 United States Sales, Nykesha 6' 0" (1.83m) 184 lb (83kg) 1976-05-10 Connecticut R
G/F 55 United States Sam, Sheri 6' 0" (1.83m) 160 lb (73kg) 1974-05-05 Vanderbilt R
G 7 United States Suber, Tora 5' 7" (1.7m) 137 lb (62kg) 1974-11-23 Virginia 2
Head coach
United States Carolyn Peck (Vanderbilt)
Assistant coaches
United States Charlene Thomas-Swinson
United States Rick Stukes



Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Schedule

Regular season

1999 game log
Total: 15–17 (Home: 8–8; Road: 7–9)
June: 5–3 (Home: 3–1; Road: 2–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1 June 10 Houston L 63–77 Taj McWilliams-Franklin (15) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (7) Shannon Johnson (7) TD Waterhouse Centre 0–1
2 June 12 @ Utah L 65–71 Sheri Sam (21) Sheri Sam (10) Shannon Johnson (7) Delta Center 0–2
3 June 15 Los Angeles W 88–86 Nykesha Sales (29) Andrea Congreaves (11) Shannon Johnson (8) TD Waterhouse Centre 1–2
4 June 17 @ Detroit L 74–79 Shannon Johnson (22) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (13) McWilliams-Franklin
Sales (4) 		The Palace of Auburn Hills 1–3
5 June 19 Washington W 73–68 Shannon Johnson (18) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (11) Shannon Johnson (7) TD Waterhouse Centre 2–3
6 June 21 Phoenix W 80–76 Sales
Sam (20) 		Taj McWilliams-Franklin (9) Shannon Johnson (9) TD Waterhouse Centre 3–3
7 June 22 @ Cleveland W 71–62 Sheri Sam (22) McWilliams-Franklin
Sales (7) 		Nykesha Sales (6) Gund Arena 4–3
8 June 28 @ Houston W 68–66 Nykesha Sales (23) Sheri Sam (6) S. Johnson
Sales (6) 		Compaq Center 5–3
July : 4–9 (Home: 1–6; Road: 3–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
9 July 3 Charlotte L 58–75 Shannon Johnson (17) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (11) Shannon Johnson (4) TD Waterhouse Centre 5–4
10 July 7 Minnesota L 66–71 Sheri Sam (15) McGhee
Sam (7) 		Shannon Johnson (6) TD Waterhouse Centre 5–5
11 July 9 @ Charlotte W 66–61 Nykesha Sales (16) S. Johnson
McWilliams-Franklin (5) 		Shannon Johnson (4) Charlotte Coliseum 6–5
12 July 10 Utah W 62–56 Nykesha Sales (21) Shannon Johnson (8) Shannon Johnson (4) TD Waterhouse Centre 7–5
13 July 12 Detroit L 67–76 Congreaves
McWilliams-Franklin (14) 		Taj McWilliams-Franklin (8) S. Johnson
Sam (5) 		TD Waterhouse Centre 7–6
14 July 16 Charlotte L 50–56 Nykesha Sales (15) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (6) Shannon Johnson (3) TD Waterhouse Centre 7–7
15 July 17 Sacramento L 70–76 Nykesha Sales (20) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (10) Shannon Johnson (9) TD Waterhouse Centre 7–8
16 July 19 @ Washington W 77–52 Sheri Sam (20) Shannon Johnson (4) S. Johnson
Sales (4) 		MCI Center 8–8
17 July 21 @ New York L 56–61 Taj McWilliams-Franklin (13) Shannon Johnson (7) Sheri Sam (3) Madison Square Garden 8–9
18 July 23 @ Phoenix L 67–73 Shannon Johnson (22) Sheri Sam (6) Shannon Johnson (6) America West Arena 8–10
19 July 24 @ Sacramento W 73–64 Shannon Johnson (31) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (10) Shannon Johnson (5) ARCO Arena 9–10
20 July 27 @ Los Angeles L 60–81 Taj McWilliams-Franklin (17) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (7) Elaine Powell (4) Great Western Forum 9–11
21 July 29 New York L 52–56 (OT) Shannon Johnson (25) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (12) Shannon Johnson (5) TD Waterhouse Centre 9–12
August : 6–5 (Home: 4–1; Road: 2–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
22 August 1 @ New York L 61–74 Nykesha Sales (21) Nykesha Sales (8) Congreaves
S. Johnson (3) 		Madison Square Garden 9–13
23 August 4 Cleveland W 70–62 Taj McWilliams-Franklin (16) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (9) S. Johnson (5) TD Waterhouse Centre 10–13
24 August 5 @ Washington L 68–72 Taj McWilliams-Franklin (24) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (10) Sheri Sam (7) MCI Center 10–14
25 August 7 @ Charlotte L 60–64 Shannon Johnson (25) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (6) Nykesha Sales (5) Charlotte Coliseum 10–15
26 August 9 New York L 75–80 Nykesha Sales (24) McWilliams-Franklin
Sales (6) 		Nykesha Sales (5) TD Waterhouse Centre 10–16
27 August 12 Cleveland W 55–54 Nykesha Sales (16) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (15) Nykesha Sales (5) TD Waterhouse Centre 11–16
28 August 14 @ Cleveland W 73–61 Nykesha Sales (17) Shannon Johnson (6) Shannon Johnson (8) Gund Arena 12–16
29 August 16 Washington W 81–54 Sheri Sam (19) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (9) Nykesha Sales (6) TD Waterhouse Centre 13–16
30 August 18 Detroit W 93–81 Taj McWilliams-Franklin (21) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (13) Elaine Powell (6) TD Waterhouse Centre 14–16
31 August 20 @ Minnesota W 83–80 (OT) Shannon Johnson (20) Taj McWilliams-Franklin (8) Nykesha Sales (6) Target Center 15–16
32 August 21 @ Detroit L 68–74 Shannon Johnson (22) Sheri Sam (7) Elaine Powell (4) The Palace of Auburn Hills 15–17
1999 season schedule

Season standings

Eastern Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
New York Liberty x 18 14 .563 12–8 –
Detroit Shock x 15 17 .469 12–8 3.0
Charlotte Sting x 15 17 .469 12–8 3.0
Orlando Miracle o 15 17 .469 9–11 3.0
Washington Mystics o 12 20 .375 10–10 6.0
Cleveland Rockers o 7 25 .219 5–15 11.0

Statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage  TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per game Team leader League leader

Regular Season

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Shannon Johnson 32 32 35.8 .447 .364 .686 4.7 4.4 1.7 0.4 14.0
Sheri Sam 32 32 34.0 .388 .328 .688 4.6 2.4 1.3 0.3 11.4
Taj McWilliams-Franklin 32 32 32.6 .480 .444 .667 7.5 1.6 1.8 1.2 13.1
Nykesha Sales 32 32 32.5 .385 .330 .805 4.2 2.8 2.2 0.3 13.7
Andrea Congreaves 32 32 25.4 .500 .366 .830 3.2 1.1 0.8 0.2 6.5
Elaine Powell 18 0 14.2 .515 .111 .545 1.3 1.8 0.5 0.2 2.6
Tari Phillips 32 0 10.5 .406 .000 .481 2.1 0.3 0.6 0.3 4.1
Carla McGhee 30 0 7.8 .319 N/A .833 1.5 0.3 0.3 0.1 1.5
Adrienne Johnson 29 0 7.7 .403 .125 .667 1.0 0.5 0.2 0.1 2.0
Kisha Ford 8 0 5.6 .200 .000 1.000 0.8 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.5
Yolanda Moore 23 0 5.0 .476 .000 .500 0.6 0.0 0.2 0.0 1.1
Tora Suber 25 0 4.6 .292 .111 .500 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.8


‡Waived/Released during the season
†Traded during the season
≠Acquired during the season

  • Shannon Johnson was tied for tenth in the WNBA in Three Point Field Goals with 40
  • Taj McWilliams-Franklin ranked third in the WNBA in Three Point Field Goal Percentage, .444
  • Nykesha Sales ranked eighth in the WNBA in Field Goal Attempts with 397
  • Sheri Sam ranked sixth in the WNBA in Minutes Played with 1088
  • Sheri Sam was tied for eighth in the WNBA in Three Point Field Goals with 41
  • Sheri Sam ranked ninth in the WNBA in Three Point Field Goal Attempts with 125[2]

Awards and honors

  • Shannon Johnson, Guard, Orlando Miracle, All-WNBA Second Team[3]
  • Shannon Johnson led the WNBA in Minutes Played with 1147[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c "1999 Orlando Miracle Transactions". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "1999 WNBA Season Summary".
  3. ^ "Postseason Awards: 1999". WNBA.com. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
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Connecticut Sun
  • Formerly the Orlando Miracle
  • Founded in 1999
  • Based in Uncasville, Connecticut
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