Without the past, theres no present. Lets be real: we cant talk about whats going on in Phoenix right now without talking about Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner first.
DT was the franchises first-ever No. 1 pick in 04, and from the moment she arrived until she retired 20 years later, she was the franchises centerpiece, the iron at the core of their offense. Taurasi played a style of basketball tougher than the element itself: the spin moves, the fadeaway pull-up jumpers, the crisp dimes, all that attitudeand fire. Everyones got a DT story, a moment theyll never forget: the trash talk, the kiss, that selfie she took after getting ejected (Got tossed, lol.), the door. Early on, the Mercury played a fast-paced, run-and-gun offense under then-head coach Paul Westhead, known as the The System, that allowed DT to evolve into a scoring machine. By 06, she averaged a career-high 25.3 ppg; by 07, she was a champion. Just two years later in 09, the Mercs legendary trio of DT, her now-wife Penny Taylor and Cappie Pondexter won another one.
In 2013, the Mercury drafted a 6-9 anomaly from Baylor named Brittney Griner as the No. 1 pick. BG opened up the teams spacing, dunked on their competition and helped bring another title back to the Valley of the Sun in 2014. The rest is
History. No one could have imagined that last season would be the very last time wed ever see those two in the purple and orange. This past February, the franchise as we know it changed forever: Griner signed with the Atlanta Dream in free agency. Right around the same time, the Mercury made a four-team trade to acquire Alyssa Thomas from Connecticut and Satou Sabally from Dallas, as well as center Kalani Brown and guard Sevgi Uzun (from the Wings). As for Taurasi, it was a matter of if she was going to retire or return for Year 21. On February 25, she announced in TIME that she was retiring from the game. The end of an era.
Now, for the first time in a very, very long time, the Mercury are starting over. Under the helm of head coach Nate Tibbetts, the Mercury have a vision for how their squad, led by the new Big 3, will compete this season. Everyones calling it positionless basketball.
The term isnt one Tibbetts came up with directly, but it is one hes embracing. I dont know who has termed it positionless, he said, via Desert Wave Media. I love the term. Were just trying to figure it out and play with space.
For the past decade, the Mercury relied heavily on DTs scoring ability and BGs defensive dominance, but Tibbetts has reimagined the Mercurys system entirely. Theyll still play fast and aggressive defensively, but hes emphasizing way more versatility. Us going in and getting [Thomas] and [Sabally] is just going to give us more size. Maybe just not at the center position, but just positionally, Tibbetts continued. Like [Mercury general manager Nick URen] said, lets make this our own path. Weve got different ideas.
By utilizing each players individual skill set and not limiting them to the confines of their traditional positions, Tibbetts is going to let his stars unleash their creativity while creating opportunities for others. For a player like Sabally, who earned the nickname Unicorn because of how dynamic and unique her game is (in Dallas, she averaged 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and a career-high 5.0 assists last season in just 15 games due to injury), itll allow her to play with the freedom she hasnt had before. Positionless basketball is what weve all been doing as individual players, Sabally said to the media on May 8, while sitting alongside Copper, Thomas and Tibbetts. Now were put into a system that will really enhance that and will let us be free.
As she spoke, Thomas, who is one of the best facilitators in the League and a six-time All-Defensive superstar, nodded her head in agreement. During her time in Connecticut, AT broke the WNBA single-season record for assists (316) and double-doubles (28) in 2023 and remains the franchises leader in almost every major category, including games played, rebounds and assists. [Thomas is] a basketball wizard, Tibbetts told the media, via TheNext. Ive been super happy with how shes been willing to speak up and use her voice in situations. You can say a lot of things about [Thomas], but the number one thing is, shes a winner. Her teams win, and they win at a high level. Thats what we want, to win at the highest level here, too.
With 11 years of veteran experience, Thomas can now tap into all the different layers of her game, from running the point to also playing center and forward. AT starting the break, imagine a 4 trying to pick her up full court? Thats tough, said Copper.
As for Kah, who averaged a career-high 21.1 points per game while earning her fourth All-Star appearance last year, shell be expected to drop buckets, play aggressive defense and bring that same intensity, grit and Philly-bred attitude shes always played with (who could forget the in-your-face staredown she gave Sophie Cunningham in Game 2 of the Finals in 2021?). But her impact this season, specifically, will go way beyond just the Xs and Os. Kah is undeniably one of the teams leaders, and having played with greats like Candace Parker, whom she won a title with in Chicago, as well as Griner and Taurasi last year, this is now her time to lead a squad of her own.
Playing with great players is a great thing, Copper said earlier this month, via AZcentral. You learn different leadership styles. Just going back to my 2020-21 season [in Chicago], winning the championship, that team was full of leaders, but leaders in their own way. And I think youre able to be your best, most authentic and genuine self when you do it your own way.
While its only been a few weeks since training camp started in late April, its Copper who will set the tone every single day, according to Tibbetts. [Copper] is special, Tibbetts said, via TheNext. She means a lot to me and what were trying to do, and her growth over the course of the year, like, a year ago, she and I, we had just met for the first time, and our conversations, our relationship, our trust, is at the ultimate levelMy whole challenge to her this year is lead. And its not just with what you say, its what you doAnd every day she has set the tone.
Her presence is already being felt by her teammates, too. Weve already had a conversation she was like, Im gonna demand a lot from you, says Sabally. We looked each other in the eyes and we were like, Yeah, good. I want that. I know her drive as a player. Thats where I want to be.
As for what happens next, all eyes will be on Phoenix to see how exactly they rise to the occasion this season, which officially starts May 16. Still, its obvious that the Mercury are not looking to rewrite the past, but pen their own chapter. No one can replicate what Taurasi and Griner brought to the organization, but with a new roster, a new training facility, a new philosophy and a ton of new additionsincluding sharpshooter Sami Whitcomb from Seattle, overseas standouts Monique Akoa-Makani, Anna Makuratand Shyla Heal, and new signees like Alexis Prince and Kitija Laksa, to name a fewthe opportunities are endless. I anticipate Ill get some of the most open looks Ive had probably in my career, because people will leave me to guard them, Whitcomb says of the Big 3. Adds Kalani Brown: Nate has given me a green light, and he wants me to evolve. So Im very happy about that. Its very uncomfortable at first, but I think once I get it down, its gonna be better.
Without the present, theres no future, and right now, the Mercury are locked in on just that. Exactly how itll all come together, only time will tell.
In the end, its still basketball, says Satou. The ball has to fall in the hoop, and were pretty good at that.
Portraits by Erik Isakson.
