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Phoenix Mercury

Star-Studded Mercury Reunited, Ready for 20th Season

May 9, 2016 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Phoenix Mercury News Release


On Monday's media day to open the 2016 WNBA season, one vibe encompassed everything else: the Mercury are back.

No, not the Phoenix team that lost in last year's Western Conference Finals. The group that reunited this week is more reminiscent of 2014, the year the Mercury won the third championship in the franchise's history.

Diana Taurasi. Penny Taylor. DeWanna Bonner. Brittney Griner. Candice Dupree. Those familiar, living legends walked around a table at the center of the newly designed home court at Talking Stick Resort Arena. On the table rested that 2014 trophy, along with its 2009 and 2007 predecessors.

The talent of that reassembled quintet - combined with the additions of Sonja Petrovic, Isabelle Harrison, Courtney Williams and others - has many wondering whether Phoenix's deck is already too heavily stacked for the rest of the league.

Taurasi, perhaps the best current definition of "winner" in women's basketball, would offer no guarantees of her sport's greatest prize. She is, however, chomping at the bit to begin her team's pursuit of redemption.

"My goal is, tomorrow, we're going to come to practice and get better as individuals and as a team," Taurasi said. "Are we going to build on that? At the end of the day, if you do all the right things to get there, than maybe you'll hang up a banner. That doesn't come with saying it or preaching it every day."

The feeling is contagious, in large part because of Taurasi. Yet she is hardly the only source of renewed optimism for the Mercury's 20th anniversary season. Taylor, who joined Taurasi in sitting out last season, is likewise refreshed and intent on reasserting her team's place at the top of the league. Ditto for Petrovic, who makes her WNBA return after a four-year sojourn in the Euroleague.

The comeback chip even resides on the shoulder of Harrison, who was forced to sit out last year after knee surgery.

By adding those four, along with first-round pick Courtney Williams, Phoenix is basically mixing 10 All-Star appearances, 11 Olympic and/or World Championship medals and nine Euroleague championships into a core that contended for a championship last season.

Head Coach Sandy Brondello believes that if this overwhelming amount of talent can mesh, the results will be magical to watch.

"It's more about just playing the game and taking great shots every possessions," Brondello said. "It's just them playing together, playing basketball, sharing the ball, taking great shots."

Their first shot will come this Saturday, when the Mercury open the new season against the last team they saw in 2015, the Minnesota squad that ended their playoff run sooner than any of them - both those who were there and those watching from afar - wanted it to end.

"There's never been a game that I've wanted to win so bad," Griner said. "I can't wait to go."

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