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History of the Utah Starzz

The Utah Starzz were one of the original eight franchises of the Women's National Basketball Association when the league began play in 1997. Based in Salt Lake City, the Starzz played six seasons in Utah before relocating to San Antonio after the 2002 campaign.

The franchise struggled during its early years but gradually developed into a competitive Western Conference team behind stars such as Natalie Williams, Margo Dydek, Marie Ferdinand-Harris, Jennifer Azzi and Adrienne Goodson. Utah reached the playoffs in 2001 and 2002, and the final Starzz team produced the greatest postseason run of the Utah era by defeating the four-time champion Houston Comets before advancing to the Western Conference Finals.

Although the Starzz never reached the WNBA Finals and lasted only six seasons in Salt Lake City, their history remains an important part of one of the league's original franchises. The organization later became the San Antonio Silver Stars, the San Antonio Stars and eventually the Las Vegas Aces.

One of the WNBA's Original Eight Teams

The WNBA began play in 1997 with eight charter franchises.

The original teams were the Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs and Utah Starzz.

Utah gave the new women's league a presence in Salt Lake City and connected the WNBA with one of the NBA's strongest markets of the era.

The Starzz shared their market with the Utah Jazz, who were in the middle of one of the most successful periods in their history.

The Starzz Name

The unusual Starzz spelling was closely connected to the Utah Jazz identity.

Many early WNBA franchises were originally operated in association with NBA teams, and their branding often reflected that relationship.

Utah's name combined the state's connection to the Jazz with a separate identity for the women's franchise.

The team used purple, blue and copper in its original branding and played most of its home games at the Delta Center.

The First Utah Starzz Season

The Starzz began play during the inaugural 1997 WNBA season.

Like several new teams, Utah struggled to compete immediately.

The Starzz finished their first season with a 7-21 record.

The team lacked the depth and experience of stronger inaugural franchises such as the Houston Comets and New York Liberty.

Despite the difficult beginning, Utah began establishing a fan base and building a roster through the league's early drafts and player-allocation system.

Early Challenges

The first several Starzz seasons were defined by rebuilding.

Utah remained near the bottom of the Western Conference while attempting to assemble enough talent to compete with teams such as Houston, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

The Western Conference was particularly difficult during the WNBA's early years because the Comets won the league's first four championships from 1997 through 2000.

The Starzz needed several seasons to develop a core capable of challenging the league's established powers.

Natalie Williams

The player most closely associated with the Utah Starzz was Natalie Williams.

Williams was a remarkable two-sport athlete who had also competed professionally in volleyball.

After joining the Starzz, she quickly became one of the WNBA's premier rebounders and interior scorers.

Williams combined strength, athleticism and relentless work around the basket.

She became a multiple-time All-Star and gave Utah its first true franchise-level star.

A Dominant Rebounder

Williams became especially known for her rebounding.

She regularly ranked among the league leaders on the glass and gave Utah a physical presence inside.

Her ability to score efficiently in the paint and create extra possessions made her a crucial part of the Starzz offense.

As Utah improved, Williams remained at the center of the team's success.

Margo Dydek

Another defining player arrived through the 1998 WNBA Draft.

Utah selected Polish center Margo Dydek with the first overall pick. The WNBA's official historical archive lists Dydek as the No. 1 selection in that draft.

At 7-foot-2, Dydek immediately became the tallest player in the WNBA.

Her extraordinary size made her one of the league's most intimidating shot blockers and a unique defensive presence.

Dydek eventually became the WNBA's all-time leader in blocked shots and remained one of the most recognizable players of the Starzz era.

Williams and Dydek Form an Unusual Frontcourt

Pairing Williams with Dydek gave Utah one of the league's most unusual frontcourts.

Williams supplied mobility, strength and rebounding, while Dydek provided elite size and rim protection.

As both players developed, Utah became more difficult to score against inside and more competitive on the glass.

The challenge was building enough perimeter scoring and playmaking around them.

Jennifer Azzi

Jennifer Azzi became one of the most important guards in Utah Starzz history.

The former Stanford star was an experienced professional and Olympic champion who brought leadership and outside shooting.

Azzi became a steadying presence in the backcourt and helped the Starzz improve during the later years of the franchise.

Adrienne Goodson

Adrienne Goodson also played an important role in Utah's improvement.

Goodson was a versatile forward who could score from the perimeter, rebound and defend multiple positions.

Her experience and toughness gave the Starzz another reliable veteran during the team's playoff years.

Marie Ferdinand-Harris

Marie Ferdinand, later known as Marie Ferdinand-Harris, became another important player during the final Utah seasons.

Her quickness and scoring ability added athleticism to the perimeter.

Ferdinand's emergence gave the Starzz another offensive option and helped make the 2001 and 2002 teams much more balanced than the franchise's early rosters.

Gradual Improvement

The Starzz did not suddenly become contenders.

Instead, Utah's progress came gradually as the roster around Williams and Dydek improved.

The team developed stronger guard play and added more experienced supporting players.

By the beginning of the 2000s, Utah had finally become capable of competing for a playoff berth.

The 2001 Playoff Breakthrough

The Starzz reached the WNBA Playoffs for the first time in 2001.

The appearance represented an important milestone after four consecutive seasons without postseason basketball.

Utah did not make a deep playoff run, but qualifying showed that the franchise had finally emerged from its rebuilding period.

The experience helped prepare the team for an even stronger season in 2002.

Candi Harvey

Candi Harvey became head coach and led Utah during its most successful season.

Harvey inherited a veteran roster with an established frontcourt and enough perimeter talent to compete with the league's strongest teams.

Her 2002 team played at a faster pace than many opponents and produced one of the better offenses in the WNBA.

The 2002 Utah Starzz

The final Utah Starzz team was also the best.

Utah finished the 2002 regular season with a 20-12 record, the first 20-win season in franchise history. The Starzz finished third in the Western Conference and ranked among the league's better offensive teams.

The roster featured Natalie Williams, Margo Dydek, Jennifer Azzi, Marie Ferdinand-Harris and Adrienne Goodson.

For the first time, Utah entered the playoffs with legitimate expectations of advancing.

The 2002 Starting Core

• Jennifer Azzi
• Marie Ferdinand-Harris
• Adrienne Goodson
• Natalie Williams
• Margo Dydek

That group gave Utah experience at every position and a particularly formidable frontcourt.

The 2002 Western Conference Semifinals

Utah faced the Houston Comets in the opening round of the 2002 playoffs.

Houston was the most successful team in early WNBA history, having won four consecutive championships from 1997 through 2000.

The matchup therefore gave Utah an opportunity to earn the most important playoff victory in franchise history.

Game 1 Against Houston

The Starzz won the opening game in Utah 66-59.

Adrienne Goodson led Utah with 20 points, while Margo Dydek collected 13 rebounds.

The victory gave the Starzz a 1-0 series lead and put Houston in an elimination situation.

Houston Forces a Deciding Game

The Comets responded in Game 2.

Houston defeated Utah 83-77 in double overtime, forcing a decisive third game.

The series returned to Houston for Game 3, where the Starzz faced one of the most experienced postseason teams in the league.

Utah Eliminates the Houston Comets

Utah won the deciding Game 3 75-72.

The victory gave the Starzz their first playoff series win and eliminated the franchise that had dominated the WNBA's first four seasons.

It became one of the defining moments in Utah Starzz history.

2002 Western Conference Semifinals

The 2002 Western Conference Finals

Utah advanced to face the defending champion Los Angeles Sparks.

Los Angeles featured Lisa Leslie, one of the greatest players in WNBA history, along with a veteran championship roster.

The Sparks defeated Utah 75-67 in Game 1.

Los Angeles then won Game 2 103-77, completing a two-game sweep and ending Utah's season.

2002 Western Conference Finals

Los Angeles went on to win the WNBA championship.

The Best Season in Utah Starzz History

The 2002 season remains the defining year of the Utah Starzz.

The team won 20 games, earned its first playoff series victory and reached the Western Conference Finals.

Utah also demonstrated that the veteran core built around Williams and Dydek could compete with championship-level opponents.

Unfortunately for Salt Lake City fans, the greatest season in franchise history became the team's final season in Utah.

Changes in WNBA Ownership

The WNBA underwent major business changes after the 2002 season.

During the league's early years, many franchises were closely tied to NBA organizations.

The league began moving toward a structure in which individual teams needed dedicated ownership groups willing to operate the WNBA franchises directly.

That change created uncertainty for several teams, including the Starzz.

The Franchise Is Sold

Spurs Sports & Entertainment purchased the Starzz franchise and relocated the team to San Antonio.

The organization became the San Antonio Silver Stars for the 2003 season.

The move ended WNBA basketball in Utah after six seasons.

From Starzz to Silver Stars

The relocation preserved the franchise lineage.

Several players associated with the Utah era initially continued with the organization in Texas.

Margo Dydek and Marie Ferdinand-Harris were among the players who helped provide continuity between the two markets.

The new San Antonio team adopted silver-and-black branding connected to the NBA's Spurs organization.

Franchise Lineage

Utah Starzz Playoff History

Notable Utah Starzz Players

• Natalie Williams
• Margo Dydek
• Jennifer Azzi
• Marie Ferdinand-Harris
• Adrienne Goodson
• Debbie Black
• Olympia Scott-Richardson
• LaTonya Johnson

Home Arena

The Legacy of Natalie Williams

Natalie Williams remains the player most closely identified with the Utah Starzz.

She developed into one of the league's premier rebounders and gave the franchise a consistent star during both its difficult early years and eventual playoff breakthrough.

Williams' athleticism and physicality made her one of the best interior players of her generation.

Her performance during Utah's final seasons helped turn the Starzz into a legitimate contender.

The Legacy of Margo Dydek

Margo Dydek gave the Starzz an identity unlike any other WNBA team.

Her height and shot-blocking ability made Utah difficult to attack around the basket.

She became one of the greatest defensive centers in league history and ultimately established the WNBA career record for blocked shots.

Dydek also became one of the strongest international symbols of the league's early years.

The Legacy of Jennifer Azzi

Jennifer Azzi brought leadership and stability to Utah's backcourt.

Her shooting, experience and ability to organize the offense helped the Starzz transition from an inexperienced expansion team into a playoff contender.

Azzi's importance was especially evident during the 2002 run, when she helped guide one of the most experienced lineups in franchise history.

The 2002 Team's Legacy

The final Starzz team remains the standard against which the Utah era is measured.

Utah went 20-12 and defeated the Houston Comets in a three-game playoff series before losing to Los Angeles in the Western Conference Finals.

The victory over Houston was particularly significant because the Comets had been the defining dynasty of the WNBA's first years.

Utah's ability to eliminate them demonstrated how far the Starzz had progressed since winning only seven games in their inaugural season.

Women's Professional Basketball in Utah

The Starzz were Utah's first major women's professional basketball franchise.

Their six seasons gave fans in the state an opportunity to watch many of the early stars of the WNBA, both as members of the Starzz and as visiting opponents.

The franchise also developed players who became important figures throughout the league.

Although the team eventually left, the Starzz remain an important part of Utah basketball history alongside the NBA's Jazz and the state's successful college programs.

The Connection to the Las Vegas Aces

The most remarkable element of the Utah Starzz legacy is what the franchise eventually became.

After moving to San Antonio, the organization developed a Finals team around Becky Hammon and Sophia Young.

The franchise relocated again in 2018 and became the Las Vegas Aces.

In Las Vegas, the organization built around A'ja Wilson and eventually won WNBA championships.

The Aces' modern success therefore traces directly back to the Utah Starzz, one of the eight teams that helped launch the WNBA in 1997.

Legacy of the Utah Starzz

The Utah Starzz never won a WNBA championship and never reached the Finals, but their six-season history remains meaningful.

The franchise began with the WNBA itself in 1997 and endured several difficult seasons while developing a young professional organization.

Natalie Williams became the team's first great star. Margo Dydek gave Utah one of the most imposing defensive players in league history. Jennifer Azzi, Marie Ferdinand-Harris and Adrienne Goodson helped create a more balanced roster as the franchise matured.

The Starzz finally reached the playoffs in 2001 and then produced their greatest season in 2002.

That final team won 20 games, eliminated the Houston Comets and reached the Western Conference Finals before falling to the eventual champion Los Angeles Sparks.

The timing made the ending bittersweet. Just as the franchise had become genuinely competitive, it left Utah for San Antonio.

The Starzz name disappeared, but the organization continued. The San Antonio Silver Stars eventually reached the WNBA Finals, and the Las Vegas Aces later transformed the franchise into a championship power.

The Utah Starzz therefore occupy an important place in WNBA history: an original franchise that helped establish the league, developed several major stars and laid the earliest foundation for an organization that eventually became one of the WNBA's most successful teams.