Throwback: Kitija Laksa Is Lights Out For South Florida

Kitija Laksa in doing well in her rookie season with the Phoenix Mercury, and before that she was knocking down shots for the South Florida Bulls.

Jun 11, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Kitija Laksa (9) against the Dallas Wings at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kitija Laksa is one of the Phoenix Mercury's rookies this season. She signed a deal with them during the offseason after spending time in Latvia, Turkey and Italy.

Laksa was drafted back in 2020, as she was the 11th pick of that year's draft. She was drafted by the Seattle Storm, but she did play for them. Fast forward to today, and she is playing for the Mercury and has been one of their key reserves.

Before her time with the Mercury, and even before being drafted, Laksa was playing for South Florida.

USF Bulls

In Laksa's freshman year, she averaged 12.6 points and 2.3 rebounds. She is known for her shooting, and she shot 42 percent from 3-point range that season. That was her best percentage in her college years.

The South Florida Bulls had a nice season, as they finished with a record of 24-10.

In the following year, Laksa's stats improved. She averaged 19.2 points and 3.5 rebounds. Her 3-point percentage dropped slightly, but it was nothing too significant. She shot nearly 39 percent from deep that season. South Florida had another good year, as they finished with a record of 24-9.

Ascending Talent

Laksa's third year was another strong season. She averaged 21.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists. She shot 38 percent from beyond the arc, and she shot almost 97 percent from the free-throw line.

South Florida continued to play well, as they finished the season 26-8.

Unfortunately, Laksa ran into an obstacle in her final year. She played in three games that season, as she suffered a knee injury and missed the rest of the season. In the games that she did play, she averaged 16.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and two assists.

Overall, Laksa averaged 17.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and an assist.

Laksa takes the next step

While her journey took time, Laksa is now doing great things with the Mercury. She is a reserve, and when she does receive minutes, she contributes. Her best game was against the Chicago Sky, as she had 18 points. At this point, she had had nine games where she scored in double digits. She shot well in those games and showed that she can knock down shots when the team needs her.

Jul 25, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) and Phoenix Mercury guard Kitija Laksa (9) fight for a loose ball in the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Mercury are having a good year, and while their stars are shining, players like Laksa are doing their part.

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