u/crapshoo

"I won't be going back, but to another club. Or none at all! I'll be able to decide at the end of the WNBA season. This is also how Europe will be impacted: clubs will have to postpone building their rosters - this has already been the case this spring - since the players will be making their decisions much later. And some will decide, for example, to come back for a short stint only at the end of the European season."

"We're starting to think that we'll benefit from the same kind of seasons as the men: they have their NBA or European season, the national teams for those involved, and that's it. Until now, the women played for several clubs in the same year to make ends meet financially. Tomorrow, we'll have a choice. The American season will be enough for those who want time off. It's a huge change, which will impact Europe in particular: fewer and fewer high-profile players will return there. This was already the case with the highest-paid American players, and it will be the case with the European players."

Description: Phoenix Mercury are 1-1 to open the season, but the context around that start matters. The Mercury open the year with the second-hardest opening schedule in the WNBA, including the team’s only back-to-back of the entire season, and still showed flashes of what this group can become.

Erika, Stephen and Girl break down the Mercury’s ugly first half against the Valkyries, the second-half comeback attempt that cut the game to one possession, and why there are still plenty of encouraging signs despite the loss.

Plus, Alyssa Thomas continues to drive nearly everything offensively for Phoenix, Jovana Nogic stays red-hot from three, and the Mercury still haven’t fully unlocked the best version of Kahleah Copper yet.

The Mercury home opener is next, and Phoenix still looks like a team with another level waiting to be unlocked.

Welcome to PHNX Mercury, where we make it more fun to be a Mercury fan!

Description: The Mercury just went to the WNBA Finals, returned two thirds of the core of that group, and somehow STILL feel like an afterthought in a lot of national conversations heading into 2026.

Phoenix already showed flashes during preseason play, but the biggest thing people continue to underestimate is the impact Alyssa Thomas has on winning. And when you pair that with continuing to pressure defenses downhill and Phoenix having more lineup versatility than people give them credit for, it’s hard to understand why this team keeps getting counted out. Today we’re talking about why the Mercury still don’t seem to get the respect they deserve, why Alyssa Thomas remains one of the most impactful players in basketball, how Kahleah Copper raises the ceiling of this team, and why Phoenix might be getting overlooked AGAIN heading into the 2026 WNBA season.