Phoenix Mercury re-sign wing Kia Nurse
Feb 5, 2022, 3:18 PM
Kia Nurse #0 of the Phoenix Mercury brings the ball up the court against the Las Vegas Aces during Game Two of the 2021 WNBA Playoffs semifinals at Michelob ULTRA Arena on September 30, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mercury defeated the Aces 117-91. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Phoenix Mercury announced Saturday they have re-signed wing Kia Nurse. The terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Nurse, 25, was one of the most important players for the Mercury last season as a tough, two-way presence that started on the wing as part of a star-studded lineup. She averaged 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game after being acquired from the New York Liberty in a trade last offseason.
“In 2021, Kia Nurse brought the exact toughness, shooting and high basketball IQ we hoped for when acquiring her via trade,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said in a statement. “Losing her to injury last October certainly hampered our efforts in the Finals, and we know it hurt Kia not to be able to help her team, but the way she has worked and rehabbed this offseason solidifies for us that she is the kind of person and player we want to continue as a part of the Mercury family, and we are excited to welcome her back for 2022.”
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Nurse tore her ACL in Game 4 of the WNBA semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces in October. The 2019 All-Star is expected to return to action this season, per the team’s press release.
The return of Nurse is the latest in a busy week for Phoenix filled with headline-grabbing acquisitions. The Mercury re-signed wing Sophie Cunningham on Tuesday, traded for 2019 All-Star wing Diamond DeShields on Thursday and signed the league’s leading scorer last season Tina Charles on Friday. It’s a strong offseason for a team looking to get back to the WNBA Finals.
The Mercury kick off the 2022 season on May 6.
