Why Four Mercury Players Wore No. 45

The Phoenix Mercury have had four players who wore No. 45, and they all contributed in their own way.

Jul 22, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn yells to her team during the first half against the Dallas Wings at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury have had many players in their time, and some of them wore the same number. There were instances where a player who wore a number in the franchise's early years, then time went by, and another player suited up and carried on the legacy.

So far, there have been four players who wore No. 45 for the Mercury, and the first player to do so played in 2003. Michaela Pavlickova was No. 45 for Phoenix back then, and she joined the team after missing the 2002 season.

Jun 19, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Detailed view of basketball shoes worn by Phoenix Mercury center Murjanatu Musa (20) during the first half against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

Pavlickova was drafted by the Utah Starzz, and she played 10 games with them. She was waived in 2002, and she did not join another team until 2003. That was when the Mercury signed her, and she played eight games.

Pavlickova played limited minutes with both teams, so her best game was a two-point game against the Seattle Storm.

Years went by, and she was the only player who wore No. 45 for Phoenix. However, another player joined the Mercury in 2010, and she played well in her time with the team. The late Kara Braxton wore that number, and before coming to Phoenix, she played for the Detroit Shock. She was traded to the Mercury, and she was a valuable contributor.

Braxton shines in games with the Mercury

Braxton played 13 games in 2010, and she averaged 11.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists. She started the season with the Tulsa Shock, and she played 22 games with them. Then, in 2011, she played 18 games with Phoenix before she went to the New York Liberty.

Sep 5, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Kara Braxton (45) reacts on the court against the Seattle Storm during the first half in game two of the western conference finals in the 2010 WNBA Playoffs at US Airways Center. The Storm defeated the Mercury 91-88. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

While she had some great performances in Phoenix, Braxton had her career high with Detroit. She had 26 points against the Atlanta Dream, and the Shock won by eight. Braxton had her performance off the bench, and Detroit had three more players who scored in double figures.

Sep 16, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn gestures to her team during the second half during game two of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs against the Las Vegas Aces at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

After Braxton wore the number, Noelle Quinn came after her. Quinn started her career with the Minnesota Lynx, and after a few more stops, she played for the Mercury. She spent two seasons with them and came off the bench both years.

When it comes to her career high, Quinn had 24 points in 2010. She was playing for the Los Angeles Sparks at the time, and she had a nice game in their loss against the New York Liberty.

Once Quinn's time with the Mercury came to an end, another player wore No. 45. For now, she is the last player to do so. Kelsey Bone wore it, and she played for the Mercury in 2016. She played 20 games, and she came off the bench in all of them. Her season high was 13 points, but she had her career high earlier in her career.

Bone had 31 points when she played for the Connecticut Sun, and they beat the Chicago Sky.

These four players are a part of Mercury history, and at some point in their career, they had notable performances.

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