PHOENIX — The defending WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury has announced the re-signing of former LSU point guard and five-year league veteran Temeka Johnson, who was a catalyst during the team’s playoff run last season, it was announced last Friday.
“Temeka has shown her true potential to be a championship-caliber floor general, and is also a key component to our success,” said General Manager Ann Meyers Drysdale. “With Penny and Meek in Mercury uniforms, I couldn’t be more confident in our chances to defend our title.”
Johnson enjoyed a breakout season in her first season with the Mercury in 2009. She started all 34 games for the first time since her Rookie of the Year campaign (2005 with Washington) and posted career-highs in scoring (9.6) and rebounding (3.5), while averaging 4.6 assists per game, good for fifth-best in the league.
She shot 44.5 percent from the field, her highest-shooting percentage since her rookie season in 2005, including a career-high 41.4 percent from the three-point line.
“Coming to Phoenix last year and being a part of this team, playing in Coach Gaines’ system and winning the championship was a dream come true,” said Johnson. “I can’t wait to get back to defend the title for this city and these great fans!”
Johnson, who enters her sixth season (second with Phoenix), owns WNBA averages of 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 134 career games. She was acquired from Los Angeles on March 26, 2009 in a sign-and-trade deal in exchange for the Mercury’s 2010 first-round draft pick, which ended up being the last pick in the first round (12).
Johnson became just the second former Lady Tiger to win a WNBA championship, joining Elaine Powell who claimed league titles with the Detroit Shock in 2003, 2006 and 2008. In all, LSU women’s basketball has been associated with eight WNBA championships as head coach Van Chancellor won the league’s first four titles from 1997-2000 with the Houston Comets.
Johnson was a member of LSU’s first two NCAA Final Four teams in 2004 and 2005. She finished her career tops in the Southeastern Conference and fifth in NCAA history with 945 assists. She also left LSU as the only player in school history to collect at least 1,000 points, 500 assists and 500 rebounds. In 2005, she claimed the Lieberman Award as the nation’s top point guard.