UCLA Women's Basketball: Charisma Osborne Previews Mercury Training Camp
Former UCLA women's basketball standout Charisma Osborne won't have long to transition to her new team as WNBA training camp begins shortly. Osborne was just drafted on Monday, with the Phoenix Mercury selecting her with the first pick in the third round of the WNBA Draft. She won't have much time to soak it all in, with WNBA training camp already beginning on April 28.
Unlike many other sports leagues where there are several months between the draft and start of the season, the WNBA has a quick turnaround. After training camp, the preseason begins for the Mercury on May 7, when they take on the Seattle Storm. The Mercury will have one more preseason game after against the Los Angeles Sparks, before the regular season begins with the Mercury taking on the two-time defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
Despite this quick turnaround, Osborne is excited for her WNBA career and training camp to begin, especially since she will be training alongside some women's basketball greats.
“I’m excited … I think it will be so much fun. Obviously we have Diana Taurasi, Natasha Cloud, Kahleah Copper, so many amazing players there so it's going to be fun to be able to learn from them and try to make the team," Osborne said, via Mel Greenberg.
"I think Diana is obviously the GOAT, so it’s crazy to think that she could be my teammate," Osborne added.
After playing for UCLA over the last five years and helping them get to back-to-back NCAA Sweet 16s, Osborne will now try to make a Mercury team which struggled a season ago. The Mercury went just 9-31 in 2023, and will look to improve off those struggles in 2024.
