TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State assistant women's basketball coach Briann January, a WNBA pro for the last nine years, will be joining the hometown Phoenix Mercury for the 2018 season. The Mercury announced today that January, one of the most decorated players in Sun Devil women's basketball history, was acquired in a trade with the Indiana Fever.
January, who helped lead ASU to 104 wins as a player (2006-09) – the most in program history in a four-year span – rejoined Sun Devil Women's Basketball as an assistant coach in April of this year.
"Briann is a difference-maker in our league," Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said in a press release. "We've seen her have success guarding the best-scoring guards and wings on the biggest stage, and we've seen her run a team as an All-Star-caliber point guard."
January, who last year was named to the Pac-12 Women's Basketball All-Century Team, concluded her Sun Devil playing career at or near the top of several ASU career statistical categories including assists (first), free throw percentage (first), steals (second), free throws (second), 3-point field goal percentage (fourth), 3-point field goals (fifth) and points (seventh). A two-time Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, January earned honorable mention All-America recognition from the Associated Press and WBCA in 2009. During her four-year career the Sun Devils won 77 percent of their games (104-32), including 82 percent of their Pac-10 games (59-13), and qualified for the NCAA Tournament all four years, including two Elite Eight appearances (2007, '09).
A six-time WNBA All-Defensive team member (2012-17) and All-Star in 2014, January has helped lead her teams to the playoffs eight times in nine seasons. January was selected by the Fever with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft. She played a major role in helping Indiana earn three trips to the WNBA Finals and a WNBA championship in 2012. A starter in 190 in 250 career WNBA games, January has career averages of
9.0 points, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals. She has also averaged 10.7 points, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 44 career playoff games.
In 2014, January was named to the East All-Star Team for the WNBA's annual All-Star Game that was played in Phoenix. In 2012, January averaged 10.0 ppg in the WNBA Finals to help lead the Fever over the Minnesota Lynx for the WNBA title. As a rookie in 2009, January had an immediate impact as Indiana made its first WNBA finals appearance.
In her first season on Charli Turner Thorne's staff – which includes associate head coach Jackie Moore and assistant coach Angie Nelp – January has helped the Sun Devils extend their streak of winning 20 or more games to five straight seasons.
Coming off an upset of then-No. 10 Oregon State in last week's Pac-12 Tournament, the Sun Devils will find out where they are headed for the 2018 NCAA Tournament when brackets are revealed on the NCAA Selection Show on Monday (4 p.m. PT) on ESPN.
January, who helped lead ASU to 104 wins as a player (2006-09) – the most in program history in a four-year span – rejoined Sun Devil Women's Basketball as an assistant coach in April of this year.
We aren't kidding when we say year-round women's hoops for Phoenix fans! So excited for @BriannJanuary and @PhoenixMercury! She is the ultimate leader, competitor and teammate. This is going to fun! ?? #Time4Championship pic.twitter.com/ACijs8JFYO
— Charli Turner Thorne (@ASUCoachCharli) March 6, 2018
"Briann is a difference-maker in our league," Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said in a press release. "We've seen her have success guarding the best-scoring guards and wings on the biggest stage, and we've seen her run a team as an All-Star-caliber point guard."
January, who last year was named to the Pac-12 Women's Basketball All-Century Team, concluded her Sun Devil playing career at or near the top of several ASU career statistical categories including assists (first), free throw percentage (first), steals (second), free throws (second), 3-point field goal percentage (fourth), 3-point field goals (fifth) and points (seventh). A two-time Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, January earned honorable mention All-America recognition from the Associated Press and WBCA in 2009. During her four-year career the Sun Devils won 77 percent of their games (104-32), including 82 percent of their Pac-10 games (59-13), and qualified for the NCAA Tournament all four years, including two Elite Eight appearances (2007, '09).
A six-time WNBA All-Defensive team member (2012-17) and All-Star in 2014, January has helped lead her teams to the playoffs eight times in nine seasons. January was selected by the Fever with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft. She played a major role in helping Indiana earn three trips to the WNBA Finals and a WNBA championship in 2012. A starter in 190 in 250 career WNBA games, January has career averages of
9.0 points, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals. She has also averaged 10.7 points, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 44 career playoff games.
In 2014, January was named to the East All-Star Team for the WNBA's annual All-Star Game that was played in Phoenix. In 2012, January averaged 10.0 ppg in the WNBA Finals to help lead the Fever over the Minnesota Lynx for the WNBA title. As a rookie in 2009, January had an immediate impact as Indiana made its first WNBA finals appearance.
In her first season on Charli Turner Thorne's staff – which includes associate head coach Jackie Moore and assistant coach Angie Nelp – January has helped the Sun Devils extend their streak of winning 20 or more games to five straight seasons.
Coming off an upset of then-No. 10 Oregon State in last week's Pac-12 Tournament, the Sun Devils will find out where they are headed for the 2018 NCAA Tournament when brackets are revealed on the NCAA Selection Show on Monday (4 p.m. PT) on ESPN.