Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Mercury snap up WNBA Champ Natasha Cloud from free agency

Originally posted on Burn City Sports | By Alec Cipollini | Last updated 2/1/24

As the quest towards their fourth WNBA Championship begins in May, the Phoenix Mercury have acquired a player with a similar pedigree and skillset to match.

Signing for Phoenix, free agent guard Natasha Cloud will take her talents to the desert after finalizing a contract today, according to the Mercury.

we’re floating on cloud 9!

https://t.co/NfmZMpnIUN pic.twitter.com/zf6YkA5HZk

— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) February 1, 2024

After becoming the 15th overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics, Cloud has played 248 games, averaged 8.1 points, 5.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.

She helped guide the Mystics to back-to-back WNBA Finals appearances in 2018-19 before ultimately winning their first championship in franchise history at the end of the 2019 season.

Versatility is what Cloud embodies in her game, and the Mercury be the benefactors of an all-around player who can excel on both ends of the floor.

Utilizing her elite playmaking ability to her advantage, Cloud leaves Washington after eight seasons as their leader in assists all-time with 1,259. She also was top five in that category league-wide for the past four seasons.

When guarding, Cloud can be relied upon as she is a two-time WNBA All-Defensive Team selection (2019, 2022).

With the Mystics last year, Cloud improved on scoring as well, averaging a career-high in points (12.7). She also had 3.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game.