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Sancho Lyttle re-signs with the Phoenix Mercury

By Kim Doss

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 27: DeWanna Bonner #24 and Sancho Lyttle #31 of the Phoenix Mercury reacts during game against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 27, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 27: DeWanna Bonner #24 and Sancho Lyttle #31 of the Phoenix Mercury reacts during game against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 27, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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A big returns for the Mercury.

Sancho Lyttle must believe that her second year in Phoenix will be better than the first. The 14-year WNBA veteran re-signed with the Mercury after last season was cut short by an ACL injury.

The 35-year-old power forward from Spain started the first 18 games for the Mercury last season before suffering a knee injury at the end of June. The team won 13 of those games, then went on a slide after losing Lyttle. After regrouping, they finished the season 20-14, good for second in the Western Conference.

Lyttle was putting up 7.9 points per game on 54 percent shooting and pulling down 5.3 boards when she went down with the knee injury.

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If anything, that undersells her value to the Mercury, who needed to regroup on the fly, figure out a new lineup configuration, and replace her rebounding and defense.

Now, with a first round pick and plenty of 4/5s available in the WNBA Draft next month, a young player can learn under Lyttle.

Her return to Phoenix means that the Mercury retain all five starters from a team that made it to the WNBA semifinals last season, and really, it’s all six, since the postseason run came without Lyttle.

Before joining Phoenix, Lyttle made stops with the Houston Comets and Atlanta Dream. She has averaged 9.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game over her career. Even those per-game numbers undersells how valuable she is across the board — her career player efficiency rating is a stellar 18.3.

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