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The Phoenix Mercury have signed WNBA leading scorer Tina Charles.Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images AsiaPac

The Phoenix Mercury have signed WNBA leading scorer Tina Charles, their second big addition in as many days.

Phoenix announced Charles’ signing Friday, a day after adding Diamond DeShields in a three-team trade with Chicago and New York.

Charles joins a roster that includes Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith, who led the Mercury to the WNBA Finals last season.

“Tina is an elite talent in our league and adding a player of her calibre is another example of our commitment to our fans and players to pursue a championship every year,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said in a statement. “Tina has made it clear that she wants to win and wants to do so in Phoenix.”

Charles led the WNBA in scoring for the second time in her career in 2021, averaging 23.5 points while shooting 36% from the 3-point arch.

An 11-year WNBA veteran, Charles was the league MVP in 2012, is a nine-time All-WNBA selection and eight-time All-Star. She’s led the league in rebounding four times and is a three-time Olympic gold medallist.

Charles was the first overall pick in the 2010 WNBA draft by the Connecticut Sun after winning two national championships with UConn and was the WNBA rookie of the year. She played four seasons with the Sun, five with the New York Liberty and last season with the Washington Mystics after receiving a medical opt out in 2020.

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