PHOENIX — Natasha Cloud buried a half-court shot Thursday morning, held a pose for a moment, then strutted around the floor inside the Phoenix Mercury practice facility. She flashed a wide smile and let everyone know it was her day — using her own colorful language to emphasize the point. New teammate Diana Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer who had been staring Cloud down during the competitive shoot-around, hustled over to give her some dap.
Soon after, Cloud, the Washington Mystics’ all-time assists leader who signed as a free agent with the Mercury during the offseason, finished getting some shots up with another former Mystic in Kristi Toliver — now an assistant coach.
There has been a visible joy radiating off Cloud these days — especially after the Mercury’s 83-80 victory over the Mystics on Thursday night. She spent her first eight seasons with Washington, helping the franchise to the 2019 WNBA championship and twice being named to the league’s all-defensive team. She ranks No. 2 on the Mystics’ all-time list for minutes played. But she has traded the Beltway for the desert.
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“It’s always nerve-racking when you leave the only thing that you’ve ever known,” Cloud said before Thursday’s game. “You never know if the grass is going to be greener … and from the minute that I stepped here, I felt valued and appreciated and wanted and seen for everything that makes me. The dog that is me. Wasn’t villainized. The passion that I played with, it was never villainized, it was welcomed.”
Cloud, who posted her second consecutive double-double Thursday with 14 points, 10 assists and five rebounds, was a fan favorite in D.C. and took an active role in community engagement, particularly in Ward 8. But when she hit free agency, the Mystics declined to make an offer.
Cloud and the team disagree on the circ*mstances surrounding the guard’s departure. But there is no doubt Cloud has found a welcome landing spot, at least thus far. She signed a two-year deal at $200,000 per season, according to HerHoopStats, and is averaging 11.5 points, 8.0 assists and 5.5 rebounds. Those last two figures mark career highs for a point guard on a team with championship aspirations.
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The talent surrounding Cloud warrants such belief: Taurasi, eight-time all-star Brittney Griner, 2021 Finals MVP Kahleah Copper and sharpshooters Sophie Cunningham and Rebecca Allen. In her previous game against the Las Vegas Aces, Cloud became the 10th player in league history with a points-assists double-double in a regular season game (11 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds) in a 98-88 win.
“She has been incredible since getting here,” Mercury General Manager Nick U’Ren said. “She is, to me, one of the best point guards in the league. A player that plays both ends of the floor and someone who plays with such force, such pace, gets everyone else involved. She’s everything you want in a point guard, and she has size, strength and athleticism. Everything we’re seeing here is absolutely why we went after her.
“The thing that Natasha doesn’t get enough credit for is her intelligence on both ends of the floor but specifically defensively.”
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Cloud acknowledged a higher level of emotion going into Thursday’s game against the Mystics (0-5), adding that she felt she was fired from her job in separating from the team. She has said repeatedly that she appreciates the opportunity coming out of a smaller college program at Saint Joseph’s and being drafted in the second round. Cloud matured as a player and person in D.C., she said. But somewhere along the way, Cloud feels, the relationship changed. Using a chip on the shoulder as motivation is common for professional athletes. Cloud carries a big one for this season.
“I have a big f--- you,” Cloud said.
The Mystics view her departure in a different light. General Manager Mike Thibault said the decision was made to let things play out once Cloud made it clear she wanted to test free agency. Eventually, the club felt that a change was best for everyone involved.
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Thibault said the organization appreciated her growth as a player and her contributions to the title team. For her part, Cloud said she felt like she was made to be a villain and that her leadership qualities were questioned. Thibault insisted that wasn’t the case.
“She was given free rein to be herself in D.C.,” said Thibault, who was Cloud’s coach for much of her tenure in D.C. “Tash was given every opportunity to be herself. Nobody on our coaching staff, that I know of, was telling her not to be. That doesn’t mean we always have to agree personally on everything.
“If that’s how she feels, I’m not going to change that, even though I would disagree with it.”
Ultimately, both parties have moved on. The Mystics are still seeking their first win of the season, while the Mercury is off to a 3-1 start. Cloud said she feels at home despite being so far from her hometown of Philadelphia, where her family is. That was a big concern with the move, but her family has actively made time to visit and those worries have been alleviated.
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Cloud said she is on the verge of ramping up her activism in Phoenix and is learning what the community needs, especially children and the local Native American communities, and is working on plans for All-Star Weekend. And she’s loving the Arizona heat and sunshine.
While there remain hard feelings about the way things ended, Cloud was adamant that her love for the D.C. community remains strong and she looks forward to returning to the area for a July 16 matchup with the Mystics.
Meanwhile, she is embracing her new home.
“I finally get to thrive in peace and [am] being loved and supported in one place,” Cloud said. “And that is why you see the smile. You see the smile because I truly am happy and I feel like I’m home.”
Mystics’ skid continues
Washington fell to 0-5 for the first time since 2007 when it began the season 0-8. Thursday’s contest was tight at halftime with the Mercury leading 43-40, but Phoenix expanded its advantage with a 15-0 run in the third quarter to take a 14-point lead heading into the fourth.
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The Mystics’ reserves, led by Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (11 points), helped cut into the lead with a 9-2 run to open the fourth quarter. Washington eventually trimmed its deficit to three points at 80-77 after a Julie Vanloo three-pointer with 34.1 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Ariel Atkins (16 points) sent Cloud to the free throw line with 17.2 seconds left, and Atkins sank 1 of 2 to make it a two-possession game and essentially put the game out of reach.
