How does one begin to fill the void left behind by Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner?
They left the desert at the same time, and now the Phoenix Mercury are completely unrecognizable from the 2014 iteration that won the franchise’s last championship—the one that Taurasi and Griner won together.
Imagine you’re a Mercury fan. Taurasi has retired after 20 SEASONS of being the GOAT of the sport for you. Griner left for Atlanta just three years after her wrongful detainment, an awful experience forged a bond between you and her that ran about as deep as any ever seen between fans and an athlete. Where does that leave you Mercury fans? I can’t speak for you, but I imagine it’s hard to come up with what to say.
Enter Alyssa Thomas. And also Satou Sabally, who is new too, and Kahleah Copper, who was with you last year and made the All-WNBA Second Team. But really, the focus is on Thomas. Things changed when AT finished second in MVP voting in 2023. She truly is a top three player in the league now—a force of nature who single-handedly gives her team a chance to win. For at least another year or two, that will remain the case; she just turned 33 and will age slowly given her top-notch conditioning.
