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[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 WNBA Preview print magazine. Order your copy today online, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]
The Phoenix Mercury were one of the most active teams this offseason as they adjusted to life after Diana Taurasi, who made her long-expected decision to retire in late February. With Taurasi’s departure, the Mercury enter the season without four of their starting five from 2024 and also missing several key bench pieces. However, they picked up some big names like Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kalani Brown (acquired via a four-team trade) and free agent Sami Whitcomb to help fill the gaps.
The one main returner is veteran guard/forward Kahleah Copper, who led the team in scoring last season. In fact, she posted one of the best statistical performances of her career, averaging a career-best 21.1 points and 2.3 assists per contest. She was also one of the team’s most consistent players, starting 37 regular-season games and both playoff games.
The Mercury did make a brief appearance in the playoffs, falling in two games to the Minnesota Lynx, but second-year head coach Nate Tibbetts has the rare opportunity to really define his time with the franchise by starting anew in 2025. And, it appears that he has full support from owner Mat Ishbia, who has pledged to direct more resources to the WNBA squad — like the new 58,000-square-foot training facility. He also owns the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.
More WNBA team previews:
Aces | Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings
Alyssa Thomas joins the Mercury after spending the first 11 seasons of her decorated WNBA career with the Connecticut Sun.Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
After losing veteran center and nine-time All-Star Brittney Griner, the Mercury pulled off one of the biggest trades of the offseason to acquire Thomas from the Connecticut Sun and Sabally from the Dallas Wings. They also got Brown and guard Sevgi Uzun, who also came from Dallas in exchange for Rebecca Allen and Natasha Cloud as well as a pair of draft picks. The four-team deal also saw Phoenix trade away Sophie Cunningham and the rights to Mikiah Herbert Harrigan. Expect Thomas, Sabally and Brown to lead Phoenix in the frontcourt.
Thomas isn’t a perfect swap for Griner, but she will be a commanding presence in the post, and she leaves one of the league’s best frontcourts in Connecticut. Thomas is playing some of her best basketball, too, earning All-Star, All-WNBA and All-Defensive recognition in each of the past three seasons. She has averaged nearly a triple-double in that span with 13.2 points and 8.8 rebounds while also contributing 7.3 assists per game.
Thomas also has an incredible ability to jump into passing lanes and force turnovers, ranking seventh among active players in steals. She spent her first 11 seasons with Connecticut, so it will be interesting to see how she adjusts to life with a new program for the first time in her professional career.
Sabally, who missed time with a shoulder injury sustained while playing with Germany during the Olympics, came back strong to average 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, a career-high 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 15 games for the Wings last year, building on her Most Improved Player performance in 2023. If she can stay healthy, she will be a dominant presence in the paint alongside Thomas.
Brown has largely come off the bench in her career so far, but she has an interesting opportunity on a team without a lot of frontcourt depth. At 6-foot-7, she would add some valuable size to the Phoenix lineup, whose next-tallest forward is Sabally at 6-foot-4. Brown appeared in a career-high 39 games for Dallas last year and started two of them. She also posted a career-high 41 assists last season, which will be advantageous for a smaller, faster Phoenix team.
Mercury guard Kahleah Copper drives with the ball during her team’s game against the Washington Mystics on May 23, 2024.Patrick Breen / Arizona Republic / USA TODAY Network
Copper is one of the most versatile and exciting players in the game right now, driving through the lane and showing a knack for scoring off pick-and-rolls. Since she became a consistent starter in 2020 with the Chicago Sky — where she earned WNBA Finals MVP honors in 2021 — Copper has become one of the league’s most prolific scorers, ranking in the league’s top 10 in the past two seasons. Look for the four-time All-Star to be the leader of this team, at least early in the season, as long as she recovers from a right leg injury sustained while playing in the new three-on-three league Unrivaled.
Whitcomb, the reigning MVP of Australia’s WBNL and two-time WNBA champion, will be another great option at guard. She averaged 21.2 points for the WNBL Bendigo Spirits and led the team in assists. Whitcomb largely came off the bench for the Storm last season but has an opportunity to be a big producer for the Mercury. She averaged 9.7 points and a career-high 2.9 assists in 24.5 minutes per game in 2023.
Expect her production to increase again as she enters a lineup with a smaller backcourt, where she will battle for minutes with Uzun as well as other veterans like Kitija Laksa. Uzun started 19 of Dallas’ 40 games, averaging 4.4 points and 3.0 assists in 20.5 minutes per game as a rookie. She could be another valuable option off the bench or even start some games. Laksa, who has been playing in Italy, has established herself as a sharpshooter, averaging better than 40% beyond the arc in Italy-Serie A1. Although she has not played stateside since 2019, her name will sound familiar as a four-year player at USF, where she finished sixth on the all-time scoring list.
Mercury forward Satou Sabally speaks with the media at the team's practice facility after signing as a free agent in Phoenix on Feb. 4.Michael Chow / The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It may take a while for this team to find its footing in 2025, but the Mercury have plenty of veteran experience to help smooth the transition. They have also pieced together a versatile roster that can take on a few different looks depending on who takes the court, which should make this team a lot of fun to watch.
With a season in the Valley already under her belt, Copper faces some lofty expectations, but if they can put the right pieces around her, the Mercury should make another playoff run — and maybe a deep one — thanks to a combined 29 years of WNBA experience from newcomers Thomas, Sabally, Brown and Whitcomb. Aside from those probable starters, Phoenix will definitely be a training camp team to watch as Tibbetts fills out the rest of his depth chart with just a handful of players who were under contract ahead of the WNBA Draft. Expect them to try and add depth across the board, but particularly at guard to support a smaller lineup.
Honoring the GOAT: After 20 years and three WNBA titles, Phoenix is set to add Diana Taurasi to the Mercury Ring of Honor next summer. Taurasi will be the sixth player to join the circle, which also includes her wife Penny Taylor. Taurasi was picked first overall by Phoenix in 2004 and played every season with the Mercury. She averaged 18.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists across her career, becoming the first WNBA player to score more than 10,000 career points. Before announcing her retirement, Taurasi was honored at the team’s practice facility, where two courts bear her name.
Taurasi TV: In other Taurasi news, Amazon Prime announced a new three-part docuseries that will cover her WNBA career, international feats with Team USA and overseas play in the offseason. The studio revealed the name, “Taurasi,” but has not announced a release date for the project.
Simply Unrivaled: Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper took home the inaugural Unrivaled league title this April with Rose BC. Copper got out to a hot start in the 3-on-3 league but was sidelined by a leg injury just seven games into the 14-game campaign. She averaged 16.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game during her brief run.
Draft Picks: None
Analysis: The Mercury were the only team without a pick in the WNBA Draft, and that’s just fine with them after a phenomenal offseason. Among others, those lost picks resulted in the signing of Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas and Dallas’ Satou Sabally. Those two will start in the new Brittney Griner-less Phoenix frontcourt, while fellow newcomer Sami Whitcomb slots in for another franchise legend in Diana Taurasi. Other picks were used a year ago to acquire veteran guard Kahleah Copper from Chicago. That move has already proved successful as Copper averaged a team-high 21.1 points per game for the Mercury last season. She, Sabally and Thomas have been dubbed the new “Big Three,” set to lead Phoenix in a new direction.
More WNBA team previews:
Aces | Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings
Continue reading...
The Phoenix Mercury were one of the most active teams this offseason as they adjusted to life after Diana Taurasi, who made her long-expected decision to retire in late February. With Taurasi’s departure, the Mercury enter the season without four of their starting five from 2024 and also missing several key bench pieces. However, they picked up some big names like Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kalani Brown (acquired via a four-team trade) and free agent Sami Whitcomb to help fill the gaps.
The one main returner is veteran guard/forward Kahleah Copper, who led the team in scoring last season. In fact, she posted one of the best statistical performances of her career, averaging a career-best 21.1 points and 2.3 assists per contest. She was also one of the team’s most consistent players, starting 37 regular-season games and both playoff games.
The Mercury did make a brief appearance in the playoffs, falling in two games to the Minnesota Lynx, but second-year head coach Nate Tibbetts has the rare opportunity to really define his time with the franchise by starting anew in 2025. And, it appears that he has full support from owner Mat Ishbia, who has pledged to direct more resources to the WNBA squad — like the new 58,000-square-foot training facility. He also owns the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.
More WNBA team previews:
Aces | Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings
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Alyssa Thomas joins the Mercury after spending the first 11 seasons of her decorated WNBA career with the Connecticut Sun.Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Frontcourt
After losing veteran center and nine-time All-Star Brittney Griner, the Mercury pulled off one of the biggest trades of the offseason to acquire Thomas from the Connecticut Sun and Sabally from the Dallas Wings. They also got Brown and guard Sevgi Uzun, who also came from Dallas in exchange for Rebecca Allen and Natasha Cloud as well as a pair of draft picks. The four-team deal also saw Phoenix trade away Sophie Cunningham and the rights to Mikiah Herbert Harrigan. Expect Thomas, Sabally and Brown to lead Phoenix in the frontcourt.
Thomas isn’t a perfect swap for Griner, but she will be a commanding presence in the post, and she leaves one of the league’s best frontcourts in Connecticut. Thomas is playing some of her best basketball, too, earning All-Star, All-WNBA and All-Defensive recognition in each of the past three seasons. She has averaged nearly a triple-double in that span with 13.2 points and 8.8 rebounds while also contributing 7.3 assists per game.
Thomas also has an incredible ability to jump into passing lanes and force turnovers, ranking seventh among active players in steals. She spent her first 11 seasons with Connecticut, so it will be interesting to see how she adjusts to life with a new program for the first time in her professional career.
Sabally, who missed time with a shoulder injury sustained while playing with Germany during the Olympics, came back strong to average 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, a career-high 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 15 games for the Wings last year, building on her Most Improved Player performance in 2023. If she can stay healthy, she will be a dominant presence in the paint alongside Thomas.
Brown has largely come off the bench in her career so far, but she has an interesting opportunity on a team without a lot of frontcourt depth. At 6-foot-7, she would add some valuable size to the Phoenix lineup, whose next-tallest forward is Sabally at 6-foot-4. Brown appeared in a career-high 39 games for Dallas last year and started two of them. She also posted a career-high 41 assists last season, which will be advantageous for a smaller, faster Phoenix team.
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Mercury guard Kahleah Copper drives with the ball during her team’s game against the Washington Mystics on May 23, 2024.Patrick Breen / Arizona Republic / USA TODAY Network
Backcourt
Copper is one of the most versatile and exciting players in the game right now, driving through the lane and showing a knack for scoring off pick-and-rolls. Since she became a consistent starter in 2020 with the Chicago Sky — where she earned WNBA Finals MVP honors in 2021 — Copper has become one of the league’s most prolific scorers, ranking in the league’s top 10 in the past two seasons. Look for the four-time All-Star to be the leader of this team, at least early in the season, as long as she recovers from a right leg injury sustained while playing in the new three-on-three league Unrivaled.
Whitcomb, the reigning MVP of Australia’s WBNL and two-time WNBA champion, will be another great option at guard. She averaged 21.2 points for the WNBL Bendigo Spirits and led the team in assists. Whitcomb largely came off the bench for the Storm last season but has an opportunity to be a big producer for the Mercury. She averaged 9.7 points and a career-high 2.9 assists in 24.5 minutes per game in 2023.
Expect her production to increase again as she enters a lineup with a smaller backcourt, where she will battle for minutes with Uzun as well as other veterans like Kitija Laksa. Uzun started 19 of Dallas’ 40 games, averaging 4.4 points and 3.0 assists in 20.5 minutes per game as a rookie. She could be another valuable option off the bench or even start some games. Laksa, who has been playing in Italy, has established herself as a sharpshooter, averaging better than 40% beyond the arc in Italy-Serie A1. Although she has not played stateside since 2019, her name will sound familiar as a four-year player at USF, where she finished sixth on the all-time scoring list.
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Mercury forward Satou Sabally speaks with the media at the team's practice facility after signing as a free agent in Phoenix on Feb. 4.Michael Chow / The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Final Analysis
It may take a while for this team to find its footing in 2025, but the Mercury have plenty of veteran experience to help smooth the transition. They have also pieced together a versatile roster that can take on a few different looks depending on who takes the court, which should make this team a lot of fun to watch.
With a season in the Valley already under her belt, Copper faces some lofty expectations, but if they can put the right pieces around her, the Mercury should make another playoff run — and maybe a deep one — thanks to a combined 29 years of WNBA experience from newcomers Thomas, Sabally, Brown and Whitcomb. Aside from those probable starters, Phoenix will definitely be a training camp team to watch as Tibbetts fills out the rest of his depth chart with just a handful of players who were under contract ahead of the WNBA Draft. Expect them to try and add depth across the board, but particularly at guard to support a smaller lineup.
Beyond the Arc
Honoring the GOAT: After 20 years and three WNBA titles, Phoenix is set to add Diana Taurasi to the Mercury Ring of Honor next summer. Taurasi will be the sixth player to join the circle, which also includes her wife Penny Taylor. Taurasi was picked first overall by Phoenix in 2004 and played every season with the Mercury. She averaged 18.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists across her career, becoming the first WNBA player to score more than 10,000 career points. Before announcing her retirement, Taurasi was honored at the team’s practice facility, where two courts bear her name.
Taurasi TV: In other Taurasi news, Amazon Prime announced a new three-part docuseries that will cover her WNBA career, international feats with Team USA and overseas play in the offseason. The studio revealed the name, “Taurasi,” but has not announced a release date for the project.
Simply Unrivaled: Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper took home the inaugural Unrivaled league title this April with Rose BC. Copper got out to a hot start in the 3-on-3 league but was sidelined by a leg injury just seven games into the 14-game campaign. She averaged 16.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game during her brief run.
Draft Recap
Draft Picks: None
Analysis: The Mercury were the only team without a pick in the WNBA Draft, and that’s just fine with them after a phenomenal offseason. Among others, those lost picks resulted in the signing of Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas and Dallas’ Satou Sabally. Those two will start in the new Brittney Griner-less Phoenix frontcourt, while fellow newcomer Sami Whitcomb slots in for another franchise legend in Diana Taurasi. Other picks were used a year ago to acquire veteran guard Kahleah Copper from Chicago. That move has already proved successful as Copper averaged a team-high 21.1 points per game for the Mercury last season. She, Sabally and Thomas have been dubbed the new “Big Three,” set to lead Phoenix in a new direction.
More WNBA team previews:
Aces | Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings
Related: Athlon Sports 2025 WNBA Preview Magazine Available Now
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