May 30, 2010; Los Angeles, CA, USA; The shoes of Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker during the WNBA game against the Atlanta Dream at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mercury Continue To Find Talent In The Third Round

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Feb 11, 2026 10:00 AM ET

When it comes to the WNBA Draft, the Phoenix Mercury have selected several players. They found stars that helped the team take steps in the right direction, and some of them helped the franchise make history.

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Players like Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter, DeWanna Bonner and Brittney Griner led the team to championships. These four players were first-round picks, and in Taurasi and Griner's case, they were the first picks of their respective drafts. Pondexter was the second pick in hers, and Bonner was the fifth.

The Mercury have added talent from different rounds, and they find some skilled players in the third round. While some of those players did not stay with the team, they still were picked by a historic franchise.

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In the past, players like Brandy Reed and Lisa Harrison were discussed. The Mercury also drafted players like Kayte Christensen and Marion Jones and Jamie Carey in the third round, and they have added more players since then.

In 2007, the Mercury drafted Leah Rush, and that was a big year for them. Phoenix won a championship, and the franchise made a big move. They had the first pick of that year's draft, and they selected Lindsey Harding. However, they traded Harding, and they acquired Tangela Smith. Smith was a veteran, and she helped the team win it all.

As far as Rush, she did not suit up for the Mercury, but she joined the Chicago Sky a year later. She played two games with them, and she averaged 1.5 points.

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In 2008, the Mercury drafted Marscilla Packer in the third round. She did not play for the Mercury, but she was a great player in her years with Ohio State.

Mercury draft late after selecting DeWanna Bonner

The Mercury had some late picks in 2009, as they drafted Sha Brooks and Jessica Adair. Brooks played for the Florida Gators, and she had some strong seasons with them. Adair was waived by the Mercury shortly after she was drafted, and she joined the Minnesota Lynx a year later. Her best game was a 10-point game against the Washington Mystics.

In 2010, the Mercury picked Nyeshia Stevenson in the third round, and before that, she attended Oklahoma. She did not play for Phoenix, and she did not play anywhere after that.

The Mercury found some talented players, and some of them had a chance to play in Phoenix or elsewhere.

This article first appeared on Phoenix Mercury On SI and was syndicated with permission.

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