Mercury Draft Pick Shines During North Carolina's Tournament Run

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The Phoenix Mercury’s 2003 season was not one of the franchise’s best moments, as they finished the season with a record of 8-26.

Before that season started, the Mercury drafted multiple player in the 2003 WNBA Draft, and two of them were third-round picks.

Phoenix drafted Plenette Pierson in the first round, and she played a few seasons with the Mercury. After drafting her, the Mercury selected Petra Ujhelyi, and they traded her to the Detroit Shock. Then, when it came to the third round, they selected Telisha Quarles and Marion Jones.

Aug 31, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen (2) holds a ball as the WNBA logo appears on the ball and shorts before the game against the Indiana Fever at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Jones attended North Carolina, and in her final season, she averaged 18.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.1 steals.

North Carolina had a solid season, and in the first game of the NCAA Tournament, Jones and her teammates faced Harvard. They picked up a win, as they beat Harvard 78-53. Jones got off to a nice start, as she finished the game with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. She was one of four players who scored in double figures, and another player with Mercury ties led the way.

Tracy Reid had 20 points and five rebounds off the bench. Then, Chanel Wright had 17 points and Jessica Gaspar had 11. Reid played for the Mercury in 2002 and 2003, and before that, she played for the Charlotte Sting and the Miami Sol. She won Rookie of the Year in 1998, as she averaged 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals.

Marion Jones was sentenced in 2008 to six months in prison for perjury after lying about her steroid use. She was forced to return all five of her Olympic medals from the 2000 Sydney Games. / Rob Schumacher / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jones and her teammates faced Michigan State in the next game, and she had 27 points, four steals, two assists, two rebounds and a block. North Carolina picked up an 81-71 win in a game that went into overtime.

After that, North Carolina faced George Washington, and that was a loss. George Washington beat North Carolina 55-46. and Jones had eight points, four rebounds and a steal.

August 1, 2010; Washington, DC, USA; Tulsa Shock guard Marion Jones during the first half at the Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images / Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

While Jones was drafted by the Mercury years later, she did not suit up for them. She joined the Tulsa Shock in 2010, and she played two seasons with them. She averaged 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in her first season.

Jones is a part of Mercury history, and years before she was drafted by them, she was playing some great basketball at North Carolina.

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