Orlando Miracle

The Orlando Miracle were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Orlando, Florida. They began play in the 1999 WNBA season. The Miracle relocated, in 2003, to Uncasville, Connecticut where the team became the Connecticut Sun. The Miracle was a sister team to the NBA's Orlando Magic.

This article is about the now defunct Orlando basketball team. For the current incarnation of the team, see Connecticut Sun.
Orlando Miracle
ConferenceEastern
LeaguesWNBA
Founded1999
HistoryOrlando Miracle
1999–2002
Connecticut Sun
2003–present
ArenaTD Waterhouse Centre
LocationOrlando, Florida
Team colorsElectric Blue, White, QuickSilver, Magic Black
       

Franchise history

The city of Orlando was granted an expansion franchise in 1998, and the Orlando Miracle took the floor for the 1999 WNBA season.

The Miracle posted respectable records in their four years of existence (1999–2002). The Miracle made the playoffs once, in 2000, and lost in the first round against the Cleveland Rockers. In 2001, the Miracle took a step backwards, but they hosted a very successful 2001 WNBA All-Star Game. In 2002, the Miracle posted a 16-16 (.500) record, tying for the final playoff spot with the Indiana Fever. But, the Miracle had lost the tie-breaker, so they barely missed the playoffs. Little did anyone know that the 2002 season would prove to be the Miracle's last in Orlando.

Miracle alternative logo.

Relocation to Connecticut

After the 2002 WNBA season, the NBA sold off all of the WNBA franchises to the operators of the teams. Magic owner Rich DeVos was not interested in keeping the Miracle, and no local ownership group emerged. In January 2003, the Connecticut-based Mohegan Native American Tribe bought the team.

The new owners moved the team to Uncasville, Connecticut and changed the nickname to the Sun (in reference to the tribe's Mohegan Sun casino.) The Connecticut Sun's new nickname and logo were reminiscent of another Florida-based WNBA franchise, the Miami Sol, which folded at the same time as the Miracle.

Uniforms
  • 1999–2002: For home games, white with blue on the sides and shoulders and white Miracle logo text on the chest. For away games, blue with white on the sides and white Miracle logo text on the chest. The Miracle logo is on the shorts.

Season-by-season records
Season Team Conference Regular season Playoff Results
W L PCT
Orlando Miracle
1999 1999 East 4th 15 17 .469
2000 2000 East 3rd 16 16 .500 Lost Conference Semifinals (Cleveland, 1–2)
2001 2001 East 5th 13 19 .406
2002 2002 East 5th 16 16 .500
Regular season 60 68 .469 0 Conference Championships
Playoffs 1 2 .333 0 WNBA Championships

Players

Final roster
Orlando Miracle roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
F 50 Cunningham, Davalyn 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 187 lb (85 kg) Rutgers
C 28 dos Santos, Cintia 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 187 lb (85 kg) Brazil
G/F 32 Douglas, Katie 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Purdue
F/C 22 Hicks, Jessie 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 188 lb (85 kg) Maryland
G 31 Johnson, Adrienne 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 154 lb (70 kg) Ohio State
G 14 Johnson, Shannon 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 152 lb (69 kg) South Carolina
C 00 Machanguana, Clarisse 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Old Dominion
G/F 12 McCain, Tiffany 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 167 lb (76 kg) Kentucky
F 10 McGhee, Carla 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 179 lb (81 kg) Tennessee
F/C 11 McWilliams, Taj (C) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 184 lb (83 kg) St. Edward's College
F 3 Palmer-Daniel, Wendy 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Virginia
G/F 42 Sales, Nykesha (C) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Connecticut
F 21 Wyckoff, Brooke 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 183 lb (83 kg) Florida State
Head coach
Assistant coaches



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

Former players
Main article: Orlando Miracle all-time roster

Coaches

Head coaches
Orlando Miracle head coaches
Name Start End Seasons Regular season Playoffs
WLPCTGWLPCTG
Carolyn PeckJuly 6, 1998April 3, 200244452.4589612.3333
Dee BrownApril 5, 2002End of 200211616.5003200.0000

General managers
  • Carolyn Peck (1999-2002)
  • Dee Brown (2002)

Assistant coaches

All-time notes

Draft picks

Current WNBA players are in italics.

  • 1999 Expansion Draft: Andrea Congreaves (2), Kisha Ford (4), Yolanda Moore (6), Adrienne Johnson (8)
  • 1999 WNBA Draft: Tari Phillips (8), Sheri Sam (20), Taj McWilliams-Franklin (32), Carla McGhee (44), Elaine Powell (50)
  • 2000 WNBA Draft: Cintia dos Santos (4), Jannon Roland (20), Shawnetta Stewart (36), Romona Hanzova (52)
  • 2001 WNBA Draft: Katie Douglas (10), Brooke Wyckoff (26), Jaclyn Johnson (42), Anne Thorius (58)
  • 2002 WNBA Draft: Davalyn Cunningham (23), Saundra Jackson (39), Tomeka Brown (55)

Trades
  • April 18, 2002: The Miracle acquire Clarisse Machanguana from the Charlotte Sting for the Miracle's first-round pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft.
  • July 8, 2002: The Miracle acquire Wendy Palmer from the Detroit Shock for Elaine Powell.

All-Stars
  • 1999: Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Shannon Johnson, Nykesha Sales
  • 2000: Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Shannon Johnson, Nykesha Sales
  • 2001: Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Nykesha Sales
  • 2002: Shannon Johnson, Nykesha Sales

[1]

Regular season attendance
Regular Season All-Time Attendance
Year Average: Home Average: Away High Low Sellouts Total for Year WNBA Game Average
19999,801 (6th)10,88915,4427,0280156,81810,207
20007,363 (11th)8,8859,4645,7310117,8109,074
20017,430 (11th)8,56011,9035,3630118,8749,105
20027,115 (13th)9,43313,1114,3230113,8379,228

References
  1. 2008 Connecticut Sun Media Guide
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