Phoenix Mercury re-sign wing Sophie Cunningham

The Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday announced the re-signing of wing Sophie Cunningham.

Cunningham is coming off of a 2021 season in which she averaged career highs in scoring (5.6), rebounding (2.0) and assists (1.1).

She also shot a career-best 43.7% from the field and a career-high 41% from three-point range, the latter of which ranked ninth in the WNBA after she shot 45.2% after the Olympics.

The 25-year-old Cunningham is currently playing in France, but was drafted by the Mercury No. 13 overall out of Missouri in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

She has spent three seasons in Phoenix as a role player and spot-starter, including playing a key part in the team’s run to the WNBA Finals last season.

In a single-elimination game against the New York Liberty without Diana Taurasi available due to injury, Cunningham scored 21 points and hit six threes in a come-from-behind win.

She was the third player in WNBA playoff history to score at least 20 points and make six-plus threes on 85% shooting or better.

“Sophie brings all the intangibles you want in a player: energy, hustle, toughness, grit,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said in a press release. “We would not have won our first-round playoff game without her scoring, we would not have played so well down the stretch of the regular season and playoffs without her shooting, and re-signing her was a priority for us.

“She wants to be in Phoenix and she will be an important piece this season in our quest to return to the Finals and win another championship.”

The Mercury tip off the 2022 season at Footprint Center against the Las Vegas Aces on May 6.

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