Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Natasha Cloud all-in on Dallas Wings star joining Mercury

Originally posted on Burn City Sports | By Jordyn Bennett | Last updated Jan 21, 2025 5:07 PM ET

Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud has been busy with the inaugural season of the Unrivaled League, playing for Phantom BC in the 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league, but hasn’t been distracted enough to forget about what’s about to happen in the WNBA.

WNBA free agency is right around the corner, as the flood gates open for the league’s 13 teams attempts to keep their franchise’s most prominent players in their uniforms and sway new players to enhance their team.

Cloud is in the business of swaying.

Following Phantom BC’s 84-71 loss to Vinyl BC Monday, New York Liberty and Phantom star Sabrina Ionescu was asked about recruiting forward Satou Sabally to the Liberty after the 2023 Most Improved Player announced she would not be resigning with the Dallas Wings on Jan. 9. In a video on X posted by Desert Wave Media, Cloud interjected before Ionescu even got the chance to answer, letting it be known that she is interested in playing with Sabally, too.

“We both are,” Cloud said. “Don’t just say Sabrina.”

In typical fashion, Cloud sent the room into laughter; however, she’s very serious about the opportunity to recruit Sabally and others, especially with accessibility Unrivaled provides.

“Obviously this is the best place to be able to recruit free agents,” Cloud said. “But at the end of the day, I’m very much person that’s whatever is the best for Satou moving forward, that’s what I want for Satou.”

It’s recruiting season at Unrivaled. Natasha Cloud joked that she’s willing to give up her apartment for Satou Sabally. pic.twitter.com/LTRFMttUS9

— Kareem Copeland (@kareemcopeland) January 16, 2025

She really wants what’s best for Sabally to be with the Mercury.

“If that is Phoenix, I literally will tell her I’ll give up my apartment if she wants it,” Cloud said. “But for me, the human of Satou has to be happy so that the play Satou can thrive and reach her full potential on the court.”

Sabally has certainly been finding her place in the W.

The forward missed a good portion of the 2024 season due to a shoulder injury sustained while playing for Germany in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament after having a breakout year in 2023. Along with her most improved honor, she was named to the All-WNBA First Team and WNBA All-Star game. She made an immediate impact upon her return last year, jumping head first into the Wings’ struggling season and became a force, averaging a team-second best 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, five assists and 1.3 steals in over the course of 15 games.

Cloud’s pitch for Sabally comes one day prior to her Mercury and Phantom teammate Brittney Griner announcing that she would be testing free agency.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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