May 2, 2025
Locked On Women’s Basketball: Phoenix Mercury season preview
By The Next
Mercury are embracing a new era under head coach Nate Tibbetts
With just 15 days until the Phoenix Mercury play their first regular season game of the year, The Next’s Mercury beat reporter Tia Reid joins host Natalie Heavren to chat about the upcoming season. The pair talked about the team’s media day, what’s happened in training camp so far and what excites Tia about the regular season. Tia also breaks down what to look for in the Mercury’s pair of preseason games.
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The Phoenix Mercury are embracing a new era under head coach Nate Tibbetts, who brings a positionless, fluid style to a team now without longtime fixtures Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi. The roster overhaul has brought in versatile talent such as Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and Sami Whitcomb, positioning Phoenix to fully commit to a more dynamic system. “Everyone is already on board with this idea of a more positionless kind of system,” Tia noted, highlighting a shift toward flexibility and movement that wasn’t entirely possible in past seasons.
Off the court, the vibes around the team are upbeat and fresh, bolstered by their state-of-the-art training facility — the Mountain America Performance Center — which has impressed newcomers and veterans alike. Media day and early training camp were filled with “first day of school energy,” with players laughing, cheering each other on and settling in. With open roster spots and intense competition — particularly in the backcourt and frontcourt — the team’s cohesion and environment could prove to be a key advantage heading into the season.
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Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
