Mercury Run Into Past Players In Playoff Run

The Phoenix Mercury had an impressive season, finishing the regular season with a record of 27-17 and advancing on a lengthy playoff run.

During the playoffs, the Mercury faced three opponents: the New York Liberty, the Minnesota Lynx, and the Las Vegas Aces. All three teams have championship histories, with the Liberty winning in 2024, the Lynx holding four championships, and the Aces having two prior to this postseason, making them strong contenders.

Several players on these opposing teams had previous connections to the Mercury. For the Liberty, Natasha Cloud, who played for Phoenix in 2024 and averaged 11.5 points, 6.9 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals, was later traded to the Connecticut Sun and then to New York. Other Liberty players with ties include Isabelle Harrison, drafted by the Mercury in 2015 and played in 2016, and Stephanie Talbot, who was with Phoenix in 2017 and 2018.

After defeating the Liberty 2-1, the Mercury played the Lynx, where Courtney Williams, drafted by Phoenix in 2016 and briefly with the team before being traded, and Alanna Smith, drafted in 2019 and played three seasons with the Mercury, were on the roster. Similarly, for the Aces, Megan Gustafson had previously played for Phoenix for several seasons.

As a legendary team with a long history, it was common for the Mercury to encounter former players throughout their playoff journey.