Examining Braxton's Time With The Mercury

Kara Braxton spent some time with the Phoenix Mercury, and she played well during that period.

Aug 20, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Kara Braxton (45) reacts on the court against the Seattle Storm at US Airways Center. The Storm defeated the Mercury 78-73. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury have acquired some talented players over the years, and occasionally, those players won championships elsewhere.

Kara Braxton is an example, and she won championships with an Eastern Conference team. Braxton started her career with the Detroit Shock, as they drafted her with the seventh pick of the 2005 WNBA Draft. She had a solid rookie season, as she averaged 6.9 points and three rebounds. She played 33 games, and she started in two of them.

The following year, the Shock won a championship, as they beat the Sacramento Monarchs 3-2. Braxton played 34 games, and she started in one. She averaged 4.3 points and 3.4 rebounds.

August 28, 2010; San Antonio, TX, USA; Phoenix Mercury players (from left) Temeka Johnson and Tangela Smith and Diana Taurasi and Kara Braxton and Penny Taylor wait for the start of the second quarter against the San Antonio Silver Stars during the first half at the AT&T Center. Phoenix beat San Antonio 92-73. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-Imagn Images / Brendan Maloney-Imagn Images

As far as the playoffs, she averaged five points and 2.8 rebounds. She played 10 games, and she came off the bench in all of them.

Braxton gets second championship

Braxton and the Shock won another championship in 2008, and they beat the San Antonio Silver Stars. The Mercury beat the Shock in 2007, and they won their first championship. Phoenix missed the playoffs in 2008, and Detroit ended up winning another title.

Sep 5, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Kara Braxton (45) reacts on the court against the Seattle Storm during the first half in game two of the Western Conference Finals in the 2010 WNBA Playoffs at US Airways Center. The Storm defeated the Mercury 91-88. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

Braxton played well that season, and she averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds. She averaged 8.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and an assist during the postseason.

A few years later, the Shock moved to Tulsa, and Braxton played 22 games with them when they relocated. She was traded to the Mercury later that season, and she played 13 games with them.

During that time, Braxton averaged 11.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists. That ended up being her career high in points per game.

Braxton started the 2011 season with the Mercury, but she was traded to the New York Liberty later on. In her 18 games with the Mercury, she averaged 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

June 3, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; New York Liberty forward Kara Braxton (45) and Indiana Fever center Jessica Davenport (50) battle for position during the second half at the Prudential Center. The Liberty defeated the Fever 87-72. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images / Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

When it comes to her best game with Phoenix, she had a 20-point game against the Minnesota Lynx. She also had six rebounds, three assists and a steal. She was one of six players who scored in double figures, and Penny Taylor was the star.

Taylor had 22 points, and she also had seven assists, a rebound and a steal. Candice Dupree had 18 points, Diana Taurasi had 16, DeWanna Bonner had 14 and Tangela Smith had 11.

Braxton had some strong games with the Mercury, and she became one of their valuable contributors.

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