Utah Starzz

The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated in 2003 to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars. The Starzz was the sister team to the NBA's Utah Jazz.

Margo Dydek was the tallest player in WNBA history.

Franchise History

One of the eight original WNBA teams, the Starzz (partially named after the old ABA team, the Utah Stars, but with the zz at the end like the Utah Jazz) never met the same success as their (former) NBA counterpart, the Utah Jazz. They held the distinction of having the worst record in the WNBA in 1997 and were the first team to select in the 1998 WNBA Draft. With their selection, they picked 7 ft. 2 in. center Margo Dydek, who easily became the tallest player in WNBA history. Unfortunately, the pickup of Dydek did little to help their cause and they again finished near the bottom of the league in the 1998 & 1999 seasons. The Starzz finally posted a winning record in 2000, but did not make the playoffs. In 2001, the Utah Starzz made it to the playoffs for the first time, but they were quickly swept in the first round by the Sacramento Monarchs. In 2002, the Starzz made it to the playoffs again, and this time beat the Houston Comets in the Western Conference Semifinals 2 games to 1. Their playoff run ended in the Western Finals, however, as they were swept aside by the eventual champs, the Los Angeles Sparks.

Relocation to San Antonio

After the 2002 WNBA season, the NBA sold off all of the WNBA franchises to the operators of the teams. Utah Jazz ownership was not interested in keeping the Starzz. The team needed to find other ownership; if it did not, the Starzz had to fold. No local ownership was found, so in 2002, the Starzz announced their intentions to move out of Salt Lake City, Utah. On December 5, 2002, the Utah Starzz was bought by Spurs Sports & Entertainment, and it was announced that the Starzz would move immediately to San Antonio, Texas and change their nickname to the Silver Stars.

Uniforms

• 1997–2002: For home games, white with blue on the sides and shoulders and white Starzz logo text on the chest. For away games, blue with purple on the sides and white Starzz logo text on the chest. The Starzz logo is on the shorts.

Season-by-season records

See also: San Antonio Stars season-by-season records

Former players

• Margo Dydek
• Marie Ferdinand-Harris, now a member of the Phoenix Mercury
• Kristen Rasmussen
• Olympia Scott
• Natalie Williams
• Fran Harris
• Erin Alexander

Coaches

Head coaches

• Denise Taylor (1997–1998)
• Frank Layden (1998–1999)
• Fred Williams (1999–2001)
• Candi Harvey (2001–2002)

All-Time Notes

Draft Picks

Current WNBA players are in italics.

• 1997 Elite Draft: Dena Head (1), Wendy Palmer (9)
• 1997 WNBA Draft: Tammi Reiss (5), Jessie Hicks (12), Raegan Scott (21), Kim Williams (28)
• 1998 WNBA Draft: Margo Dydek (1), Olympia Scott (11), LaTonya Johnson (21), Tricia Bader (31)
• 1999 WNBA Draft: Natalie Williams (3), Debbie Black (15), Adrienne Goodson (27), Dalma Ivanyi (39)
• 2000 WNBA Draft: Naomi Mulitauaopele (12), Stacy Frese (35), Kristen Rasmussen (51)
• 2001 WNBA Draft: Marie Ferdinand (8), Michaela Pavlickova (24), Shea Ralph (40), Cara Consuegra (56)
• 2002 WNBA Draft: Danielle Crockrom (11), Andrea Gardner (27), Edmarie Lumbsley (43), Jaclyn Winfield (59)

All-Stars

• 1999: Natalie Williams
• 2000: Natalie Williams
• 2001: Natalie Williams
• 2002: Marie Ferdinand, Adrienne Goodson