Mercury trade Diamond DeShields for 2021 Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere
Feb 11, 2023, 2:00 PM | Updated: Feb 13, 2023, 7:13 am
Michaela Onyenwere #12 of the New York Liberty drives to the basket defended by Jasmine Walker #40 of the Los Angeles Sparks in the second half at Crypto.com Arena on July 03, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
(Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The Phoenix Mercury announced Saturday that the team has acquired the 2021 WNBA Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere in a four-team trade that sent guard Diamond DeShields to the Dallas Wings.
In the trade with the New York Liberty, Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings, Phoenix will also receive Chicago’s 2025 second-round pick and Chicago’s 2024 third-round pick.
Dallas will get DeShields, first-round picks from Chicago in 2023 and 2024 and the rights to swap first-rounders with Chicago in 2025. New York gets Leonie Fiebich, Chicago’s 2024 second-round pick and a first-round pick swap with Phoenix in 2025. Chicago will receive Marina Mabrey from Dallas as well as Phoenix’s 2024 second-round pick.
“We want to thank Diamond for her contributions during a 2022 season that was tumultuous for all of us,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said in a press release.
“Ultimately, this deal provided the opportunity to acquire a former Rookie of the Year and add additional cap space to help us build our roster. Michaela is a player who can be dynamic at both ends of the floor and has already shown her potential in this league. She will be a great, versatile addition to our roster.”
Onyenwere was selected No. 6 overall in the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Liberty.
En route to the Rookie of the Year title, she led all rookies with 8.6 points per game, 275 total points, 91 field goals and 37 three-pointers made. She also played in all 32 regular season games.
Onyenwere was the fourth-highest scorer in UCLA’s women’s history with 1,888 points, averaging 19.1 points and 7.2 rebounds for game.
DeShields played just one season in Phoenix after being drafted No. 3 overall by the Sky in 2018. She averaged 13.1 points and 3.8 rebounds with the Mercury.
