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The Phoenix Mercury have found hidden gems like Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, Adrian Williams-Strong and Leilani Mitchell in the second round of their drafts, and they all had different paths. Davis-Wrightsil played with the Mercury for a year, and she began her coaching career later on.
Williams-Strong spent some time with the Mercury, and she became an All-Star in 2003. Mitchell had a nice career, and she won Most Improved Player twice. She won in 2010, and she was playing for the New York Liberty at that time. She won in 2019, and she was with the Mercury at that time.
The Mercury added more players over the years, and to continue the series, Phoenix’s 2018 draft will kick things off.
After drafting Jillian Alleyne in 2016, the Mercury had a single draft pick in 2017. It was a third-round pick, and they added Alexis Prince.
In 2018, the Mercury had four picks, and two of them were second-round picks. They had back-to-back picks, and they drafted Tyler Scaife with the first.
Scaife attended Rutgers, and in her four seasons, she averaged 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists. The Rutgers star may have been drafted by the Mercury, but she did not suit up for them. Regardless, she had some great years in college, and she is a part of Phoenix’s history.
Right after drafting Scaife, the Mercury added Raisa Musina. Like Scaife, she did not play for them. However, she has played internationally.
The Mercury found a talented player in the 2019 WNBA Draft, as they selected Sophie Cunningham in the second round. She became a fan favorite, and up until the 2025 season, she spent all of her years with the Mercury.
Cunningham had the best season of her career with the Mercury, as she averaged 12.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and a steal. That was during the 2022 season, and with Brittney Griner out, the Mercury needed all hands on deck. The energetic guard was one of the bright spots of that season, and she helped Phoenix make the playoffs. Cunningham was loved by Mercury fans, and now, she is building a fanbase in Indiana.
The Mercury also had a second-round pick in 2020, and they drafted Te’a Cooper. Cooper did not play for them, but she did spend time with the Los Angeles Sparks. The Baylor guard is a talented player, and she is flourishing overseas.
The 2020 WNBA Draft was the last time Phoenix had a second-round pick, and eventually they will have more.
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