The W Genesis: A Miracle in Orlando

In 1995, the city of Orlando, Florida was electric. Not because of the glamorous adventures of Disney World and Universal Studios. But also because the NBA’s Orlando Magic advanced to their first NBA Finals. Basketball was finally at the forefront of the city. The fans were ecstatic about where the Magic could go.

In the end, it was Orlando who was swept in the Finals by the reigning champion Houston Rockets. Certainly, the loss hurt the Magic as a team as they worked hard to fight their way through the Eastern Conference. However, the Finals also showed how electric the city can be for basketball during the summer.

One thing that was not guaranteed was that the Magic would play in June every season. However, I can tell you one thing:? The WNBA season takes place every summer. The league took off with popularity after its inaugural season in 1997. With star players leading the way, the WNBA provided great entertainment for the fans while the NBA was in its offseason. The growth of the WNBA would lead to expansion to new cities in later years.

The Origin: Beginning of the Orlando Miracle

It was only right to add an expansion team in Orlando, Florida in 1999. The Orlando Miracle was projected to bring new life to the city. They wanted to acquire key pieces who fit their culture and loved to compete. One of the first moves for the Miracle was signing head coach Carolyn Peck, who led Purdue to a National Championship months earlier. Considering how Peck turned the Purdue program around in two seasons, it showed her passion for how she could lead a group of players. The Miracle front office projected she could lead the team to success. Now it was time for her and the front office to acquire talent that would place this team in a good position.

It takes a new team time to build a playoff contender, especially when you have new players alongside a new coach. Also, the front office had to observe to see which pieces fit and which ones should be waived or traded. The Miracle front office made an effort to set the franchise up for success. They did so by utilizing the Regular Expansion Draft to their full advantage.

Key talents like Shannon Johnson, Nykesha Sales, Sheri Sam, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, and others filled the roster spots for Orlando. The vibes were very high in training camp and the team knew something special was brewing. As a first-year team, the Miracle wanted to set the tone early. They may not have been seen as title contenders but they wanted to show that they were on their way.

First Season: Learning from Experience

Opening night finally arrived. It’s hard to tell if there were pregame jitters from the Miracle. It was the first time the team played at TD Waterhouse Centre and the crowd was ecstatic to watch some WNBA action. The flip side of the situation was the Miracle opening their season against the two-time defending champion Houston Comets. As a fan, it was a win-win situation due to watching the newest team and the best team go head-to-head. As one of the players, it was an early challenge where the Miracle had to answer the call.

The electricity in the building was like none other. As the game began, the crowd was 100 percent behind the Miracle. Throughout most of the game, the Comets had control. They played high-level basketball on both ends and displayed their championship DNA. Offensively was where the Miracle struggled as they shot 36 percent and committed 18 turnovers. As Orlando watched Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson combine for 64 points and 21 rebounds, it was the Comets who took a 77–63 victory on the road.

The Comets' loss on opening night was a learning experience for the Miracle. They looked at the areas that went wrong in the loss and found a way to make adjustments. The Miracle’s first win in franchise history came on June 15 against the Los Angeles Sparks. It was a contest where we saw Nykesha Sales explode for 29 points on 62 percent shooting. Overall, it was a great showing for Orlando as they found a way to execute down the stretch and come up with a huge win. The win became a momentum builder as they started to go on winning streaks that placed them in potential playoff conversations.

The Miracle finished the 1999 season with a 15–17 record. According to Basketball Reference, they finished sixth in points per game and seventh in Defensive Rating. Johnson led the team in scoring with 14 points per game while McWilliams-Franklin dominated the boards with 7.5 rebounds. Although they missed the playoffs, the franchise was moving in the right direction as far as development. Year one was a setup for success for Orlando before they hit the ground running in 2000.

2000 Playoff Run

The lessons and experiences from the first season carried over to the next year. The Miracle had an opportunity to start from scratch. They were heading into a new century with a new opportunity to crack the postseason. Despite not updating the roster with trades and free agency signings, Orlando remained in the belief that their core players could come together and perform at a higher level.

Training camp had a different energy to it in 2000 than it did in 1999. The Miracle players understood that they were still the new kids on the block. However, they also understood that they failed to exceed expectations. Being a playoff team was a standard from day one. The Miracle understood that as there was a sense of urgency heading into the season.

The Miracle may have dropped their first game of the season against the Washington Mystics. Luckily, they bounced back by winning three consecutive games. The biggest adjustment was defense. While the Miracle gave up 92 points to the Mystics, they allowed only 76.6 points during their winning streak. As the season progressed, the Miracle continued to have their ups and downs like any other team. However, they found a way to capitalize on their losses and bounce back better than before.

The Miracle finished the season with a 16–16 record. Despite the team facing a seven-game losing streak from late July to early August, they still managed to clinch a playoff spot as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. This was a golden opportunity for the Miracle to showcase their season’s improvements and find a way to succeed at the most important time of the year.

The Miracle faced the Cleveland Rockers in the first round of the WNBA Playoffs. Kicking off the series on their home floor was an opportunity to seize momentum. While the Rockers were favored to win the series, Orlando knew they could make things interesting on their home floor.

The energy of the crowd was behind Orlando. While many were enjoying the summer day at Disney World, others were in attendance for a Playoff game. Truth be told, the fans were not disappointed by their team’s performance. While the game was close throughout the first half, the Miracle ran away with the lead in the second half. They elevated their defense while continuing to play by committee. Clutch plays from Sales, McWilliams-Franklin, and others helped the Miracle prevail in a 62–55 victory to take a 1–0 series lead.

What a great start to the series for the Orlando Miracle. As a team, they shot 52 percent from the field and had four players score in double-digits. The Miracle only had a small window to celebrate this win before they headed into game two. While facing another playoff contender, they knew the Rockers would make adjustments as the series shifted to Cleveland.

Unfortunately, those adjustments were made and the Miracle couldn’t overcome the dominance of the Rockers. With great performances from Merlakia Jones, Chasity Melvin, and others, the Rockers were able to tie the series after game two and dominate in game three to win the series.

The End of a Miracle

It was indeed a disappointing way for the Orlando Miracle to finish their season. Luckily, this team didn’t keep their heads down. The Miracle knew that as they continued to grow, they would become true title contenders. The lessons learned from their postseason run carried over as their run continued.

Unfortunately, the 2000 Playoffs were the only postseason appearance of the Orlando Miracle. In 2002, the team played its last season in Florida before relocating north to become the Connecticut Sun. Surely, it pained the city of Orlando to watch its team say goodbye. However, many still supported the team from afar. Investing yourself as a Miracle fan was well worth it considering the Sun became one of the best teams in basketball during the mid-2000s.

To Be Continued…