PHOENIX — As we gear up for a critical Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday night, our Phoenix Mercury will square off with the Las Vegas Aces at the newly named Mortgage Matchup Center (formerly PHX Arena).
So much attention has been given to the new line-up this season, and it's helped make the Phoenix Mercury unstoppable!
With Diana Taurasi retiring and Brittney Griner going to the Atlanta Dream before this season even began, the team started without two of its biggest names.
And while some doubted what the new Mercury would look like, this group of ladies - like Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, and Kahleah Copper (who joined in 2024) - has created a new "Big Three" in the Valley and has been able to make waves all season.
ABC15's Nick Ciletti recently spoke with Mercury President Vince Kozar about the magic in this new team they were able to build.
"Nick and Nate have rebuilt this team from the ground up," giving the team's General Manager Nick U'Ren and Head Coach Nate Tibbetts all the credit. "And there are no players in this roster from the last time we made the finals in 2021 - or even from 2023. So everyone who is here has been hand-picked to be here and has hand-picked us. I think there is something really special about a group of people who chose to be here, want to be here, elected to be here and chose this place because of what it had to offer."
Kozar says there were a lot of critics in the sports world that would never have picked this team to make it as far as they have, but he says the doubters and naysayers have actually brought the team even closer together.
