Mercedes Russell

Mercedes Russell

Russell in 2019
No. 21 – Seattle Storm
Position	Center
League	WNBA
Personal information
Born	(1995-07-27)July 27, 1995 Springfield, Oregon,U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school	Springfield(Springfield, Oregon)
College	Tennessee(2013–2018)
WNBA draft	2018:2nd round, 22nd overall pick
Selected by theNew York Liberty
Playing career	2018–present
Career history
2018	New York Liberty
2018–present	Seattle Storm
2019–2020	Southside Flyers
2020–2021	Galatasaray
2023–2024	Southside Flyers
Career highlights and awards
2×WNBA champion(2018,2020) WNBA Commissioner's Cupchampion (2021) WNBL champion(2024) WNBL Grand Final MVP(2024) Gatorade National Player of the Year(2013)
Medals Women'sbasketball RepresentingtheUnited States FIBA Under-17 World Championship for Women 2012 U17 Amsterdam Team competition

Mercedes Brianna Russell(born July 27, 1995) is an American professionalbasketballplayer for theSeattle Stormof theWomen's National Basketball Association(WNBA). She was drafted 22nd overall by theNew York Libertyin the2018 WNBA draft.Russell playedcenterfor theTennessee Lady Volunteers basketballteam in college.In high school, she was named 2013Gatorade Girls' Basketball Player of the Year.

Russell was MVP of the 2013 McDonalds All-American game

College

Russell played college basketball at theUniversity of TennesseeinKnoxville, Tennesseefor theLady Volunteers.

Statistics

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2013–14	Tennessee	35	5	18.5	.596	.000	.514	5.0	0.5	0.4	1.1	1.2	6.3
2014–15	Tennessee	Injured
2015–16	Tennessee	36	31	29.3	.548	.000	.545	8.3	0.8	0.4	1.8	1.6	9.9
2016–17	Tennessee	32	32	34.6	.562	.000	.671	9.7	1.2	0.7	1.4	2.0	16.1
2017–18	Tennessee	33	33	32.7	.583	.000	.682	9.2	0.8	1.1	1.3	1.4	15.3
Career		136	101	28.6	.570	.000	.622	8.0	0.8	0.6	1.4	1.6	11.7

Career

WNBA

At the2018 WNBA draft,Russell was drafted in the second round by theNew York Liberty.After making her WNBA debut with the Liberty, Russell was waived and soon after picked up by theSeattle Storm.In joining the Storm's line-up featuring players such asSue Bird,Breanna StewartandNatasha Howard,Russell would take home a WNBA Championship in her first professional season.

WNBL

In 2019, Russell was signed by the newly rebrandedSouthside Flyersin Australia'sWomen's National Basketball League(WNBL).There she would play alongside the likes ofLeilani MitchellandJenna O'Hea.

With the Flyers in the2023–24 WNBL season,Russell helped the team win thechampionshipwhile earninggrand final MVPhonours.

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game	RPG	Reboundsper game
APG	Assistsper game	SPG	Stealsper game	BPG	Blocksper game	PPG	Points per game
TO	Turnoversper game	FG%	Field-goalpercentage	3P%	3-point field-goalpercentage	FT%	Free-throwpercentage
Bold	Career best	°	League leader

WNBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2018	New York	2	0	16.0	.333	–	.750	1.5	1.0	1.0	0.5	0.5	2.5
	Seattle	22	0	4.6	.484	–	.500	1.4	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.3	1.6
2019	Seattle	34	30	25.6	.520	–	.646	6.1	1.0	1.1	0.5	1.0	7.5
2020†	Seattle	22	2	13.8	.410	–	.560	3.2	0.6	0.4	0.4	0.7	3.5
2021	Seattle	30	28	24.7	.617	–	.766	6.1	1.6	0.9	0.4	1.3	7.3
2022	Seattle	5	0	10.8	.500	–	.667	1.8	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.4	2.0
2023	Seattle	37	13	19.1	.516	.000	.605	4.0	1.3	0.4	0.5	1.5	5.0
Career	6 years, 2 teams	152	73	18.5	.525	.000	.651	4.3	1.0	0.6	0.4	1.0	5.2

Postseason

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2018	Seattle	1	0	4.0	.–	–	–	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
2019	Seattle	2	2	32.0	.769	–	1.000	8.5	2.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	11.5
2020†	Seattle	6	0	17.5	.619	–	1.000	3.8	1.0	0.2	0.2	0.8	5.2
2021	Seattle	1	1	45.0	.556	–	–	12.0	4.0	0.0	2.0	0.0	10.0
Career	4 years, 1 team	10	3	21.8	.651	–	1.000	5.3	1.4	0.1	0.5	0.7	6.4

External links

• Career statistics and player information fromWNBA.comandBasketball-Reference.com
• Tennessee Lady Vols bio