Looking Back At Phoenix's 2024 Draft

The Phoenix Mercury did not have any draft picks in 2025, but in 2024, they found some talent in the third round.

Sep 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Charisma Osborne (24) shoots the ball against the LA Sparks in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury found some talented rookies last year, but they did not acquire them through the draft. Some of them went undrafted in past drafts, but the Mercury gave them an opportunity to shine. The Mercury have not had a first-round pick since 2020, but they have still selected players in the past few years.

Louisville's Jazmine Jones gets past Virginia's Jocelyn Willoughby to take the shot. Au0i0294 / Scott Utterback/Courier Journal

The Mercury drafted Jocelyn Willoughby in the first round of the 2020 WNBA Draft, and she did not suit up for them. She was traded to the New York Liberty, and Phoenix received Shatori Walker-Kimbrough in return.

Willoughby spent three seasons with the Liberty, and in her first year, she averaged 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds.

Apr 15, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Charisma Osborne poses with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected with the number twenty-five overall pick to the Phoenix Mercury in the 2024 WNBA Draft at Brooklyn Academy of Music. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mercury draft late, find talented prospects

Since then, the Mercury have had third-round picks, and in 2024, they had two. The Mercury drafted Charisma Osborne, and she was the first pick of that round. Osborne attended UCLA, and she was there for five seasons.

In her final year, Osborne averaged 13.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, four blocks and 1.6 steals. Overall, she averaged 14.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals.

Osborne played two games with the Mercury, and she was waived. She played against the Minnesota Lynx and the Los Angeles Sparks. In her game against the Lynx, she had two points, a rebound and an assist. Before those games, she saw some action in the preseason, and she had six points, two rebounds and an assist against the Seattle Storm.

After the Mercury drafted Osborne, they added Jaz Shelley a few picks later. Shelley did not suit up for them during the regular season, but before she was selected, she was making a name for herself in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) and the NBL1 South.

Phoenix Mercury's Jaz Shelley (14) during media day at Footprint Center in Phoenix on May 9, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Shelley also attended Oregon and Nebraska during her collegiate years. In her final college season, she averaged 14.5 points, 6.2 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals. Like Osborne, Shelley was active during Phoenix's preseason, and in the game against the Storm, she had two assists, a rebound and a steal. Then, she had three rebounds and an assist against the Sparks.

The Mercury found some talented players in Osborne and Shelley, and while they had brief stints, they are still a part of the franchise's history.

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