Why The Mercury Added A Defensive-Minded Guard

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Nov 8, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Phoenix Mercury have been in the WNBA since 1997, and since then, they have had several players. Whether it was stars like Diana Taurasi or Brittney Griner, or anyone else, Phoenix has been home to a slew of players.

In that time, players have made names for themselves, and all of them specialized in something. Some were exceptional scorers, some were a force when it came to rebounding, and some were great playmakers. There were also players who were known for their defense.

During her career, Briann January was known for her defense, and she played for the Mercury in 2018 and 2019. She started her career with the Indiana Fever, which is the team that drafted her in 2009.

In January's first season with the Fever, she averaged 6.9 points, 2.3 assists, 1.9 rebounds and a steal. The Fever had a good season, as they finished with a record of 22-12. They reached the WNBA Finals after beating the Washington Mystics and the Detroit Shock in the previous rounds.

The Fever ran into the Mercury in the Finals, and Phoenix won the series 3-2 to win the franchise's second championship.

January remained with Indiana for some years, and in 2012, she helped them win their first championship. She averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals that season.

January comes to Phoenix

After the 2017 season, January was traded to the Mercury. The Fever received the eighth pick of the 2018 WNBA Draft in return, and they used it to draft Victoria Vivians.

In her first season with Phoenix, January averaged seven points, 3.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds. She played 33 games that year, and she started in all of them. The Mercury finished the season with a record of 20-14, and they had a solid playoff run.

In 2019, she averaged 6.5 points, 3.3 assists and 1.3 rebounds. She was a starter for most games, as she played in 32 and she started in 26. Phoenix finished the season with a record of 15-19. They reached the playoffs, but they were knocked out in the first round.

After that season, the Mercury traded January to the Connecticut Sun. Later on, she spent time with the Seattle Storm. Then, she was an assistant coach for the Sun, the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G-League and now the Fever.

Throughout her career, January was recognized for her defense, as she made both the All-Defensive First Team and Second Team multiple times. In college, she won Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year twice.

January had a nice career, and for a period, she contributed to Phoenix's success.

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

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