Over the years, the Phoenix Mercury have had some special guards. They drafted Diana Taurasi in 2004, and a few years later, they drafted Cappie Pondexter. Both players had a knack for scoring, and they helped their team reach the playoffs for the first time since 2000.
Both guards did their part, and they led the Mercury to their first championship. Pondexter also became the franchise’s first Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in what was an impressive run.
Pondexter continued to shine, and in the 2009 season, she helped the Mercury make history once again. The Mercury won their second championship in what was Pondexter’s final season with them. It was also a big year for her, as she made the All-WNBA First Team and became an All-Star for the third time.
Oct 1, 2009; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Cappie Pondexter (23) against the Indiana Fever in the first quarter at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
At one point in the season, she won Western Conference Player of the Week three times in a row. She was on a tear, and the Mercury reaped the benefits.
Pondexter was scoring with ease, and in her first game of the season, she had 23 points. She also had five assists and four rebounds. She followed up with a 26-point game against her future team. Pondexter played well in that game, and she helped the Mercury take down the New York Liberty.
June 12, 2010; Washington, DC, USA; New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter during the first half against the Washington Mystics at the Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images / Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
The Mercury guard started the season with games of 20 or more points, and she did not stop there. After a 10-point game against the Sacramento Monarchs, she had 22 points in Phoenix’s rematch. The Mercury were on the road in the Monarchs’ win, but they hosted Sacramento in the following game. Pondexter did what was needed for her team to bounce back.
Phoenix faced the Minnesota Lynx in the next game, and Pondexter had 11 points. She nearly had a triple-double, as she had nine rebounds and nine assists. She had another impressive game after that, as she had 21 points against the Los Angeles Sparks.
May 22, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter (23) passes the ball to a teammate during the first quarter of a WNBA game against the Minnesota Lynx at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Pondexter scored at least 20 points in the next three games, and she did it against the Seattle Storm, the San Antonio Silver Stars and the Washington Mystics. Teams had a hard time stopping Phoenix’s guard, and by the end of the season, she had 18 games of 20 or more points.
The Mercury found a special player in Pondexter, and her contributions are still being discussed.
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