Utah Starzz facts for kids
The Utah Starzz were a professional basketball team for women. They played in the WNBA. The team was based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They started playing in 1997. The Starzz were one of the first eight teams in the WNBA.
Quick facts for kids Utah Starzz |
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| Conference | Western | ||
| Leagues | WNBA | ||
| Founded | 1997 | ||
| History | Utah Starzz (1997–2002) San Antonio Silver Stars (2003–2013) San Antonio Stars (2014–2017) Las Vegas Aces (2018–present) |
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| Arena | Delta Center | ||
| Location | Salt Lake City, Utah | ||
| Team colors | Green, Purple, Light Blue, Copper, Black, White |
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| General manager | Jay Francis | ||
| Head coach | Candi Harvey | ||
| Ownership | Larry H. Miller | ||
| Uniforms | |||
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Contents
Team History
The Starzz were one of the first eight teams in the WNBA. The team's name was partly inspired by an older basketball team called the ABA. The owners of the NBA team, the Utah Jazz, also owned the Starzz.
However, the Utah Jazz owners did not want to keep the Starzz team. If new owners were not found, the team would have to stop playing. No local owners in Salt Lake City stepped forward. So, in 2002, the Starzz announced they would move from Salt Lake City.
On December 5, 2002, a company called Spurs Sports & Entertainment bought the Utah Starzz. It was announced that the team would move to San Antonio. There, they changed their name to the Silver Stars. The Starzz were like a "sister team" to the NBA's Utah Jazz. In 2003, the team officially became the San Antonio Silver Stars.
Team Uniforms
From 1997 to 2002, the Starzz had specific uniforms. For home games, they wore white uniforms. These had blue on the sides and shoulders. The team's "Starzz" logo was in white text on the chest. For away games, they wore blue uniforms. These had purple on the sides. The white "Starzz" logo text was also on the chest. The Starzz logo was always on the shorts for both uniforms.
Season Performance
The Utah Starzz played for six seasons in the WNBA. They were part of the Western Conference.
- In their first two seasons (1997 and 1998), they had a tough start.
- They improved over the years, especially in 2000, 2001, and 2002.
- In 2001, they made it to the playoffs for the first time. They lost in the Conference Semifinals.
- In their final season, 2002, they had their best record. They won the Conference Semifinals but then lost in the Conference Finals.
Overall, the Starzz won 87 regular season games and lost 99. In the playoffs, they won 2 games and lost 5. They did not win any WNBA Championships.
Team Players
Final Roster (2002)
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Utah Starzz roster
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| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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WNBA roster page |
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InjuredNotable Players
Some of the well-known players who played for the Utah Starzz include:
- Margo Dydek
- Marie Ferdinand-Harris
- Kristen Rasmussen
- Olympia Scott
- Natalie Williams
- Fran Harris
- Erin Alexander
- Adrienne Goodson
FIBA Hall of Fame
One former Utah Starzz player has been honored in the FIBA Hall of Fame. This is a special place for basketball legends.
| Utah Starzz Hall of Famers | ||||
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| Players | ||||
| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
| 12 | Margo Dydek | C | 1998–2002 | 2019 |
Team Coaches
Head Coaches
The Utah Starzz had several head coaches during their time in the WNBA:
- Denise Taylor (1997–1998)
- Frank Layden (1998–1999)
- Fred Williams (1999–2001)
- Candi Harvey (2001–2002)
General Managers
The general manager helps run the team and makes decisions about players.
- Tim Howells (1997–1999)
