Who helped the Mercury veterans when they were rookies?
By Alex Simon
![SEATTLE - MAY 27: Sancho Lyttle #21, Michelle Snow #2 and Sheryl Swoopes #22 of the Houston Comets talk things over as they return to the court after a timeout in their WNBA game with the Seattle Storm on May 27, 2005 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. 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 2005 NBAE. (Photo by Jeff Reinking/NBAE via Getty Images) SEATTLE - MAY 27: Sancho Lyttle #21, Michelle Snow #2 and Sheryl Swoopes #22 of the Houston Comets talk things over as they return to the court after a timeout in their WNBA game with the Seattle Storm on May 27, 2005 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. 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 2005 NBAE. (Photo by Jeff Reinking/NBAE via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/25069622372735fe7bdf1a4e950d3abad0368d6b708723f6626030c99db995a9.jpg)
Brittney Griner (Rookie season/team: 2013 Phoenix Mercury)
Player: Diana Taurasi … and a few others
“It damn sure wasn’t DeWanna Bonner,” Griner joked as Bonner walked by. “Honestly, it was both and Penny, too. Those three kind of showed me the way. D showed me the hardcore, getting-tech ways. But she showed me how to be a leader every day. How to come in, go hard, be locked in. Penny was always with the tactical, little things to make me better. DB would always challenge me. I do well with challenges, so we would always have a challenge like, ‘Who’s going to get the most double-doubles?’ or rebounds. In between those three, they really helped me and showed me the way.”
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