The Successful Careers of Mercury's Best Picks

The Phoenix Mercury added a special player in 2004. They were coming off a bad year, and they needed a star who would put them on the right path. They found that player in Diana Taurasi . Taurasi was the first pick of the 2004 WNBA Draft, and before that, she led the UConn Huskies to their third championship in a row. Then, she had a successful rookie season and took home Rookie of the Year. It was just the beginning for Phoenix's star, and she went on to have an excellent career. Phoenix's star was the standout of that year's draft, but there were some others who saw some success. Alana Beard was the second pick of that draft, and she had some impressive accolades of her own. She won a championship in 2016, as she played for the Los Angeles Sparks at that time. Beard was also a four-time All-Star, and she won Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018. Beard has a respectable career, and her best season was in 2006. She averaged 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals. Nicole Powell was the