Alaina Coates, former South Carolina standout, signs with fifth WNBA team
Alaina Coates is getting another chance in the WNBA.
The Phoenix Mercury announced Tuesday that they are signing the former Dutch Fork High and University of South Carolina standout to am emergency hardship contract.
An emergency hardship contract is temporary in nature and means a WNBA team is below 10 available players because of injuries or illness. Coates can be on Phoenix’s roster until the Mercury has 10 people ready to play.
Phoenix, one of the worst teams in the WNBA this season, fired head coach Vanessa Nygaard on Monday after a 2-10 start. Nikki Blue has been named interim coach.
Coates played two minutes on Tuesday in the 77-62 loss to Dallas.
“I will always be grateful for every single opportunity I get,” Coates told reporters after the game. “... Coach Blue told me what she needs from me. You know, I go out there and hunt for every single rebound on that floor.”
Coates was the No. 2 overall pick by the Chicago Sky in the 2017 WNBA Draft and appeared in 83 games with Chicago, Minnesota, Atlanta and then Indiana last season. She signed with Atlanta during 2023 training camp before being released.
Coates played overseas and spent time with the Galatasaray S.K. basketball team in Turkey last season before helping coach at her alma mater Dutch Fork in the winter.
Coates also has her own foundation, the Alaina Coates FAAM Foundation, which helped build a miniature library for the Ronald McDonald house in Columbia.
“I want to play until I feel satisfied,” Coates told The State in February. “I feel I can’t put an age limit on it. As much as I would say, I’m not going to be 40 years old playing basketball. If my body still will let me do what I am doing until I’m 40, I’m going to keep on going. When I feel like stopping, I’m going to stop.”
Coates was part of Dawn Staley’s first national championship team with the Gamecocks in 2017. She missed the team’s NCAA Tournament run after a regular-season injury on senior night.
Coates was an all-Southeastern Conference selection in each of her four years of college, was a first-team SEC pick over her final two seasons and holds several school records
Coates becomes the 10th former Gamecock currently on a WNBA roster. Destanni Henderson was signed by the Los Angeles Sparks to a hardship contract earlier this month and is averaging 7.8 points per game in her four games she has appeared.
Two former Gamecocks, A’ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston, were named to the WNBA All-Star game as starters on Sunday.
Gamecocks in WNBA
A look at how former South Carolina players are faring in the WNBA this year.
Laeticia Amihere, Atlanta Dream: Has played in six games and is averaging 3.2 points per game.
Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever: The 2023 No. 1 draft pick is averaging 15.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. She was selected to start in the WNBA All-Star game.
Alaina Coates, Phoenix Mercury: Signed on Tuesday with the Mercury.
Zia Cooke, Los Angeles Sparks: First-round pick in this year’s draft is averaging 3.6 points in 14 games this season.
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream: The 2017 first-round pick is averaging 17.8 points per game in her first year with Atlanta.
Ty Harris, Connecticut Sun: Former first-round pick is averaging 3.9 points and 1.0 assist per game.
Destanni Henderson, Los Angeles Sparks: Signed as a medical hardship and is averaging 7.8 points in four games.
Tiffany Mitchell, Minnesota Lynx: Former 2016 first-round pick is averaging 10.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Victaria Saxton, Indiana Fever: Third-round pick in this year’s draft has appeared in four games this year.
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces: Two-time WNBA MVP is averaging 19.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. She is one of the captains for this year’s WNBA All-Star game.
This story was originally published June 27, 2023 at 2:06 PM.
