Looking At The Paths Of Phoenix's Second-Round Picks

The Phoenix Mercury have drafted players like Tia Jackson and Adrian Williams-Strong in the second round of their respective drafts, and some of them played well in their time.

Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Saniya Rivers poses with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected with the number eight overall pick to the Connecticut Sun in the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images at The Shed. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury have found some talented players in the first round of their drafts. However, they have not stopped there. The Mercury has done well when it comes to their second-round picks, and some of them became valuable contributors in their time with the team.

Phoenix's first second-round pick was Tia Jackson, and they drafted her right after selecting Toni Foster. Foster was the last pick of the first round, and Jackson was the first pick of the next round. Both of them spent time with the Mercury, and in their second-round pick's case, she spent a year with the team.

Mar 6, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies coach Tia Jackson gestures during the game against the Southern California Trojans at the Galen Center. USC defeated Washington 65-61 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In 1998, the Mercury drafted Andrea Kuklová in the second round. She spent two years with the Mercury, and in her first year, she played 29 games.

May 22, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of WNBA basketballs on the bench before the game between the Seattle Storm and the Los Angeles Sparks at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The following year, Phoenix drafted Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil. She was a star in college, and during those years, she averaged 19.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and an assist. The Mercury landed her, and she spent a year with them.

Mercury found special talent in 2000

Phoenix found a hidden gem in 2000, as the franchise drafted Adrian Williams-Strong in the second round of that draft.

Williams-Strong appeared in 28 games in her rookie season, and she averaged 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds. Her stats gradually improved, and in 2003, she became an All-Star. She averaged 9.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals that year, and she had a career-high 20 points against the Detroit Shock.

After drafting Williams-Strong, the Mercury drafted players like Ilona Korstin, Tootie Shaw, Petra Ujhelyi and others in the second round. They found some more hidden gems, as they drafted Leilani Mitchell in the 2008 WNBA Draft.

Mercury's Leilani Mitchell (5) defends Liberty's Brittany Boyd (15) as she shoots during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Ariz. on Aug. 19, 2018. 865709002 / Patrick Breen/The Republic

Mitchell had a successful career, and she won Most Improved Player twice in her career. The second time it happened, she was playing for the Mercury. The first time she won, she was playing for the New York Liberty. Phoenix traded her to New York before the start of the 2008 season, and she spent some years there before heading to Phoenix. Mitchell went on to have some good years with the Mercury, and her best was her final season with the Mercury.

Looking back at these drafts, Phoenix has had 25 second-round picks. This includes the draft where they added Nancy Lieberman. Some of the Mercury's second-round picks have had nice careers, and they helped the team succeed.

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