Orlando Miracle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Orlando Miracle
Conference	Eastern
Leagues	WNBA
Founded	1999
History	Orlando Miracle 1999–2002 Connecticut Sun 2003–present
Arena	TD Waterhouse Centre
Location	Orlando, Florida
Team colors	Electric Blue, White, QuickSilver, Magic Black
Uniforms
Home Away

The Orlando Miracle were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Orlando, Florida. It 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.

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 lost the tie-breaker, so barely missed the playoffs. 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

Players

Final roster

Orlando Miracle roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From 4.0 F 50 USA Cunningham, Davalyn 72 6' 0" (1.83m) 187 lb (85kg) Rutgers 6.0 C 28 BRA dos Santos, Cintia 77 6' 5" (1.96m) 187 lb (85kg) Brazil 2.5 G/F 32 USA Douglas, Katie 72 6' 0" (1.83m) 165 lb (75kg) Purdue 5.5 F/C 22 USA Hicks, Jessie 76 6' 4" (1.93m) 188 lb (85kg) Maryland 1.5 G 31 USA Johnson, Adrienne 70 5' 10" (1.78m) 154 lb (70kg) Ohio State 1.5 G 14 USA Johnson, Shannon 67 5' 7" (1.7m) 152 lb (69kg) South Carolina 6.0 C 00 MOZ Machanguana, Clarisse 77 6' 5" (1.96m) 180 lb (82kg) Old Dominion 2.5 G/F 12 USA McCain, Tiffany 70 5' 10" (1.78m) 167 lb (76kg) Kentucky 4.0 F 10 USA McGhee, Carla 73 6' 1" (1.85m) 179 lb (81kg) Tennessee 5.5 F/C 11 USA McWilliams, Taj (C) 74 6' 2" (1.88m) 184 lb (83kg) St. Edward's College 4.0 F 3 USA Palmer-Daniel, Wendy 74 6' 2" (1.88m) 165 lb (75kg) Virginia 2.5 G/F 42 USA Sales, Nykesha (C) 72 6' 0" (1.83m) 175 lb (79kg) Connecticut 4.0 F 21 USA Wyckoff, Brooke 73 6' 1" (1.85m) 183 lb (83kg) Florida State	Head coach Dee Brown (Jacksonville University) Assistant coaches Vonn Read (Clark Atlanta) Valerie Still (Kentucky) Legend (C) Team captain (FA) Free agent (IN) Inactive (S) Suspended Injured

Former players

• Cintia dos Santos 2000–2002
• Katie Douglas 2001–2002
• Jessie Hicks 2000–2002
• Adrienne Johnson 1999–2002
• Shannon Johnson 1999–2002
• Carla McGhee 1999–2002
• Taj McWilliams-Franklin 1999–2002
• Elaine Powell 1999–2002
• Nykesha Sales 1999–2002
• Brooke Wyckoff 2001–2002
• Monica "Monee" Sheppard

Coaches

Head coaches

General managers

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

Assistant coaches

• Rick Stukes (1999–2000)
• Charlene Thomas-Swinson (1999–2001)
• Michael Peck (2001)
• Vonn Read (2002)
• Valerie Still (2002)