Amy Atwell signs rest-of-season contract with Mercury before WNBA playoffs

With the WNBA playoffs beginning on Sunday, the Phoenix Mercury has signed guard Amy Atwell to a rest-of-season contract on the final day of the regular season.

After originally joining the Mercury on a training camp deal on April 4 before being waived ahead of the regular season starting, she signed two seven-day contracts this month and will now stick around for postseason. The WNBA allows a team to sign an individual player up to three seven-day deals in a single season.

Since she rejoined Phoenix, the 6-foot guard has come off the bench in five games, averaging 1.8 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 8.2 minutes played per game.

Rebecca Allen has been ruled out since before the 2024 Paris Olympics began after suffering a right hamstring injury. With Allen sidelined for the tournament, the University of Hawaii product Atwell was promoted to Australia’s roster as a result and went on to win the bronze medal with the Opals.

Atwell started her WNBA career with the Los Angeles Sparks when she was a third-round (No. 27 overall) pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. She would play in four games as a rookie, averaging 0.8 points, 0.5 assists and 0.5 rebounds per game.

The Sparks would then waive her on June 7, 2022. She didn’t make another WNBA appearance until the Mercury lost 90-77 to the Washington Mystics on Sept. 5.

Phoenix wraps up the 2024 regular season Thursday night when they host former Mercury Skylar Diggins-Smith and the Seattle Storm inside Footprint Center at 7 p.m. PT.