Looking At The Mercury's Ties To The 2016 Draft

The Phoenix Mercury had draft picks of their own in 2016, but later on, some of the others players in this draft suited up for the Mercury.

Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2) drives against Fever guard Mari McDonald (2) at PHX Arena in Phoenix, on Aug. 7, 2025. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2016 WNBA Draft had some talented players, as New York Liberty's Breanna Stewart was the first pick of the draft. Stewart was a star at UConn, which is also the school that Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi attended, and she came into the league and instantly made her presence felt.

That year's draft featured more talented players, as Jonquel Jones was the sixth pick. Jones started her career with the Connecticut Sun before joining the Liberty and playing alongside Stewart, who signed with the team after successful years with the Seattle Storm.

Aug 25, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) warms up before a game against the Connecticut Sun at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

When it comes to this draft, there were not only talented players, there were multiple tied to the Mercury.

Stewart was the first pick, but right after that, Moriah Jefferson was drafted by the San Antonio Stars. Jefferson was a college teammate of Stewart, and she played with a few teams in her WNBA career. One of those stops was Phoenix.

Jefferson played with the Mercury in 2023. She averaged 10.5 points, 3.6 assists, two rebounds and 1.1 steals. She played in 39 games that season, and she started in 36 of them. After that, she was traded to the Connecticut Sun for Rebecca Allen.

The seventh pick of that year's draft was Kahleah Copper. Copper played for Rutgers in her college years, and she had strong seasons with them. She was drafted by the Washington Mystics, who she played with for a year before being traded to the Chicago Sky.

Copper becomes a champion

Copper's rookie year was quiet compared to her later seasons, as she averaged 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds. She came off the bench most of the year, and when she was traded to Chicago, she had a similar role. However, things changed in 2020. Copper became a starter, and that is when she truly started to make a name for herself. She helped her team win a championship in 2021, and she took home Finals MVP.

Aug 3, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2) brings the ball up court against Chicago Sky guard Kia Nurse (11) during the first half at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

After the 2023 season, the Sky traded her to the Mercury, and she is one of their top players. She averaged 21.1 points in her first season with the team, and this year she is averaging 15.3 points.

The Mercury had a pick of their own in the first round, and they selected Courtney Williams. Williams had a brief stint with Phoenix, and she was traded to the Sun in the same year.

Phoenix also had two other picks that year, and they drafted Jillian Alleyne and Nirra Fields.

The 2016 WNBA Draft had several ties to the Mercury, and they all went in different directions.

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