Natasha Cloud prepared for new journey of her career with Mercury

In the offseason, Natasha Cloud was a free agent and after searching for a new home, she ended up signing with the Phoenix Mercury.

The do-it-all guard is bringing her elite playmaking and defensive skillset to the Valley, something that will create a new dynamic in Phoenix.

With the Washington Mystics last year, Cloud averaged a career-high in points (12.7) while also having 3.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. On the defensive end, the Pennsylvania native is as effective as ever with her being a two-time WNBA All-Defensive Team selection (2019, 2022).

But after being drafted in 2015 and playing eight WNBA seasons all with the Mystics, Cloud is ready to start a new chapter of her career.

“It’s been great, everything I have done this offseason has prepared me for training camp and the season with a new organization,” Cloud said. “I have the same type of dog mentality that I have a lot to prove to myself in my career, but also I want to bring this organization around.

“I am always going to be the point guard that I am,” Cloud said. “I am a leader on the floor, a defensive stopper and I am surrounded by greatness and great playmakers now, so I am really excited.”

When looking at the players whom she will be playing alongside, Cloud is energized to play with some of the best in the WNBA such as Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Kahleah Copper and more.

As she has known, played against and trained with Taurasi, Cloud stated that she can learn even more from her and be a benefactor of what DT brings to the table.

“DT has been such a great vet with coming in and just making the transition easy for me as a point guard,” Cloud said. “When you are playing with greatness, it makes your job very easy.”

Cloud led the Mystics to back-to-back WNBA Finals appearances in 2018-19 before winning the franchise’s first-ever championship in franchise history in 2019.

Coming to the Mercury who last won the WNBA title in 2014, she is intrigued by the prospect of leading the team back to glory and feels the team has the roster makeup to do so.

“We want to win and we understand each of our parts in winning,” Cloud said. “All of our goals are focused on just bringing this organization back to the dynasty it used to be.”

To kickstart its preseason, the Mercury will go to battle against the Seattle Storm on May 7 at 7 p.m. PT in Seattle.