Mercury sign 2024 draft pick Charisma Osborne, waive forward Morgan Bertsch

The Phoenix Mercury announced the signing of rookie free agent guard Charisma Osborne on Wednesday. The team waived forward Morgan Bertsch to make room for the open roster spot.

Osborne was selected by the Mercury with the 25th overall pick (third round) in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She participated in Phoenix’s training camp and was with the team for two preseason games before being waived on May 11.

Osborne played five seasons at UCLA, where she averaged 14.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals as a five-year starter, finishing as the program’s all-time leader in games played and three-pointers made.

She was a four-time All-Pac-12 and two-time All-Pac-12 Defensive Team selection.

Osborne finished her collegiate career as the second guard in Pac-12 conference history to record 2,000-plus points and 800-plus rebounds, joining former Oregon Duck and current New York Liberty point guard Sabrina Ionescu.

Bertsch was acquired in the Mercury’s trade with the Chicago Sky that also sent Copper to Phoenix. Bertsch appeared in eight games this season and averaged 2.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.