BEN ANDERSON
Top Five Players In Utah Starzz History
SALT LAKE CITY – One of the founding eight franchises from the WNBA in 1997, the Utah Starzz spent only six seasons in the state before moving to San Antonio in 2003.
The team was again relocated to Las Vegas in 2018 where the Aces have become one of the premier organizations in the league, winning its first WNBA title in 2022.
With the Starzz history being rewritten in Las Vegas, let’s look back at the five best players to suit up for the organization when they played in Utah.
Top Five Players In Utah Starzz History
1. Natalie Williams
There’s no question that Natalie Williams is the greatest player in Utah Starzz history, and remains one of the most important figures in the franchise to this day.
Williams joined the Starzz in 1999, earning three All-Star nods in her four years in Utah before she was traded to the Indiana Fever in 2003.
The bruising forward had career averages of 15.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in Utah as the face of the Starzz organization.
Through its stops in San Antonio and Las Vegas, Williams still holds the franchise records for career field goal percentage and rebounds per game.
In 2022, Williams was hired as the general manager of the Aces and helped lead the team to its first-ever WNBA title.
2. Adrienne Goodson
You can’t tell the story of the Starzz without Adrienne Goodson who played for the franchise from 1999-2004, following the team from Utah to San Antonio.
Goodson averaged 15.0 points and 5.2 rebounds playing alongside Williams and earned an All-Star nod in 2002 as a member of the Starzz.
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“Goody” can still be found near the top of almost every major statistical category, and is the fifth-highest scorer in franchise history.
3. Margo Dydek
The top-overall draft pick in the 1998 WNBA Draft, Margo Dydek made an instant impact on the Starzz as the tallest player in league history.
Dydek stood 7-foot-2 and made her presence known on the defensive end leading the WNBA in blocked shots in each of her five seasons with the Starzz.
On this day in 2002, Margo Dydek became the first #WNBA player to reach 500 blocks! #WNBAVault pic.twitter.com/XoeiPAJCom
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 9, 2020
The Polish center had averages of 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and an impressive 3.3 blocks during her five seasons with the Starzz, and still holds the WNBA record for career blocks with 877.
Sadly, Dydek died in 2011 after suffering cardiac arrest at the age of 37. She was posthumously inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2019.
4. Marie Ferdinand-Harris
The Starzz first-round draft pick in 2001, Marie Ferdinand-Harris spent only two seasons in Utah but left her mark on the state.
The LSU product averaged 13.4 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 steals in 64 games for the Starzz and earned an All-Star nod in just her second season in the WNBA.
Very proud of Seimone Augustus…This is a huge deal! Only the 3rd woman to have a statue. Well Deserving!! @LSUwbkb @BeLikeCJFounda1 #ForeverLSU💜💛 pic.twitter.com/HORBgp51pa
— Marie Ferdinand-Harris (@ulti_teammate) January 16, 2023
Ferdinand-Harris spent four memorable seasons in San Antonio after the franchise moved, earning two more All-Star bids for the organization.
The guard has the seventh-highest scoring average in franchise history and ranks third for the organization in career steals.
5. Wendy Palmer
The Starzz leading scorer in each of the franchise’s first two seasons of existence, Wendy Palmer spent just 2.5 seasons with the organization before she was traded in 1999.
Palmer averaged 14.6 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Starzz before being shipped to the Detroit Shock, a trade that failed to pay dividends for the franchise.
The high-scoring forward went on to play 11 seasons in the WNBA and won the most improved player award in 2004.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.
