Mercury's 2008 Draft Brings In Future Most Improved Player

The Phoenix Mercury won a championship in 2009, but the were unable to repeat the year before. The Mercury had three picks in 2008, and some worked out better than others.

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

The 2009 WNBA Draft was significant for the Phoenix Mercury. They drafted a player who would go on to become one of their top players. Phoenix selected DeWanna Bonner, who went on to win three Sixth Woman of the Year awards in her first three seasons. She won a championship in her rookie season, and she was a part of the legendary 2014 team.

Sep 12, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) celebrates with teammates Penny Taylor (13) and DeWanna Bonner (24) after making a basket while being fouled by the Chicago Sky in the fourth quarter in game three of the 2014 WNBA Finals at UIC Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images / Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

Before drafting Bonner, the Mercury finished the 2008 season with a record of 16-18. Phoenix had three draft picks before heading into that season, and they had one in each round. They had the 13th pick, the 25th pick and the 41st pick.

With the 13th pick, the Mercury selected LaToya Sanders. She attended North Carolina, and her best season with them was her final year. She averaged 14.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 1.4 steals. That was a big year for her, as she made the ACC All-Defensive Team, the All-ACC First Team and she won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Aug 15, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; A WNBA official Wilson Evo NXT basketball approaches the rim and net at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sanders played with the Mercury for a season, and she averaged 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. She appeared in 29 games in that time.

After her rookie season, Sanders was traded to the Minnesota Lynx. She played with them for a season before signing with the Los Angeles Sparks later on. In her time with the Lynx, she averaged 2.2 points and 2.2 rebounds. With the Sparks, she averaged 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds.

Sanders was away from the WNBA for a few years, but played overseas in that time. She returned to the league in 2015, and she played for the Washington Mystics. She had some good years with the team, and in 2019, she won a championship. Sanders did not play in the 2020 season due to the pandemic, and she would retire in 2021.

With the 25th pick of that year's draft, the Mercury selected Leilani Mitchell. While Mitchell did play with Phoenix, she would play for them during this time. They traded her to the New York Liberty, where she played from 2008 to 2013,

Jun 27, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen (13) passes in the third quarter against the Phoenix Mercury guard Leilani Mitchell (5) at Target Center. The Minnesota Lynx beat the Phoenix Mercury 71-56. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Mitchell returns, wins Most Improved Player

Mitchell signed with the Mercury in 2015, and she averaged 6.7 points, 2.7 assists and 2.1 rebounds. In 2016, she signed with the Mystics and played 10 games with them. Then, she came back to Phoenix for a few seasons before going back to Washington. Her best season was in 2019, when she averaged 12.8 points, four assists and three rebounds for Phoenix. Her performance that season led to her winning Most Improved Player for the second time in her career.

Jun 8, 2018; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Leilani Mitchell drives the ball past Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Munoz-The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK / Brian Munoz-USA TODAY NETWORK

After selecting Sanders and Mitchell, the Mercury selected Marscilla Packer. She played for Ohio State, and in her senior year, she averaged 15.1 points, 3.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds. She ended up being waived later on.

The Mercury won a championship the year before, and in 2008, they could have gone for a repeat. However, they fell short and had to wait another year before winning another. Still, they used their draft picks, and Sanders and later Mitchell had a chance to play with them.

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