Ever since she joined the Phoenix Mercury in the offseason, Natasha Cloud has continued to cement herself as one of the best players in the WNBA.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Taking over seventh all-time in regular season point/assist double-doubles (12), she has also progressed up the assist ladder multiple spots and after racking up 10 more against the Minnesota Lynx, Cloud is at No. 16 all-time with 1,343 in her career.
The Phoenix Mercury PG.
With 10 assists tonight, natasha cloud is now 16th All-Time in Assists in the @WNBA.
15. Jasmine Thomas (1,355)
16. Natasha Cloud (1,343)
17. Briann January (1,340)
18. Teresa Weatherspoon (1,338)
19. Dawn Staley (1,337) pic.twitter.com/W2HpIAQzoI— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) June 8, 2024
On May 26th vs. the Dallas Wings, the Pennsylvania native was at No. 19 and has now leapfrogged the likes of Dawn Staley, Teresa Weatherspoon and former Arizona State standout Briann January. Cloud is now just 12 away from No. 15 all-time with former Connecticut Sun guard Jasmine Thomas sitting at 1,355.
In only two games this season through 11 thus far, she had less than five assists, contributing to her fast rise up the leaderboard. Her dominant playmaking ability to find open teammates and spacing the floor have seen her with five 10+ assist games for Phoenix.
Even though she is in the conversation with some of the greatest to ever play in the league, the Saint Joseph’s product has emphasized that team success is more important than her personal accolades.
“I am a player that is not supposed to be here, I am a second-round draft pick,” Cloud said after the Mercury beat the Sparks this past Sunday. “For me, I am really proud of where I am, where my feet are today. But more than anything, it is a personal accolade that is a testament to my teammates. They’re knocking down shots and making my job easy. For me to be in the Valley, I am generally happy and when I can be happy, that really does change my play on the court. I am just really excited to be here with this group. I don’t really care about the numbers, I just want to get wins at the end of the day.”
The change in energy and chemistry surrounding the Mercury has been electric since the arrival of Cloud and Kahleah Copper. Cloud brings one of the best perimeter defensive skillsets in the WNBA while Copper is a sharpshooter who can score at will.
With the aforementioned duo of Cloud and Copper, Phoenix just getting Brittney Griner and Rebecca Allen back from injuries, Diana Taurasi still playing at an elite level in her 20th season in the league and the rest of the team contributing effectively, the Mercury are poised to get back into winning ways after starting the season 5-6 to this point.
While she may not put too much thought into making history personally, there are plenty more records that Cloud, aka “Agent Zero,” can shatter this season and into the future in Phoenix.
WATCH: Nate Tibbetts proud of Mercury’s resiliency in ‘must-win,’ revenge game vs. Lynx
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
