PHOENIX—Ahead Alyssa Thomas is enjoying at an MVP-caliber degree in her first season with the Phoenix Mercury.
This season, Thomas recorded her seventh triple-double, essentially the most in a single season in WNBA historical past, through the Mercury’s win over the Sparks in Los Angeles. Regardless of coping with an sickness, she led Phoenix on each ends of the courtroom.
Right here’s the small print on the “#ATForMVP” cardboards. #WNBA https://t.co/01SKCT2m6s pic.twitter.com/fYbkT6Omsp
— Aya Abdeen (@ayabdeen) August 28, 2025
Whereas Thomas is within the MVP dialog alongside Minnesota Lynx ahead Napheesa Collier and Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson, will probably be fascinating to see which participant takes house this yr’s award.
Alyssa Thomas is Having an MVP-Caliber Season as a Level-Ahead
Throughout Thursday’s victory over the Sky, Thomas led the Mercury to their third straight win with clutch performs within the crunch time. After Chicago guard Kia Nurse tied the sport with a jumper, Thomas scored seven of the final 11 factors to safe the victory for Phoenix in entrance of a sellout crowd.
Extra importantly, Thomas turned the primary participant in WNBA historical past to report 300 or extra assists in a single season for 3 consecutive years. She additionally broke Caitlin Clark’s report in 2024 for many factors assisted, totaling 759, and tied Sabrina Ionescu’s 2022 report for a streak of 11games with 10 or extra factors, 5 or extra rebounds, and 5 or extra assists.
“Yeah, we preserve speaking about (how necessary Alyssa Thomas is to this Phoenix Mercury staff),” Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts mentioned Thursday. “Simply the performs that she made down the stretch have been massive time, proper? She’s a winner. She cares about successful. She desires to win. And she or he has gained, successful follows her due to her effort and battle and she or he’s an enormous, massive a part of what we’re doing.”
Along with her contributions on each ends of the courtroom and a median of 15 or extra factors, 9 or extra assists, eight or extra rebounds, a number of steals, and taking pictures over 50 p.c from the sphere, Thomas is on tempo to affix LeBron James, Magic Johnson, and Nikola Jokic as the one NBA/WNBA gamers to attain this.
Superior seeing the Mercury proceed to play properly! Love watching this staff play laborious, compete for all 40 minutes, and do all of the little issues to win. That’s 5 out of 6 wins and our house crowd was superb as at all times! pic.twitter.com/APL4hLOA91
— Mat Ishbia (@Mishbia15) August 29, 2025
Diana Taurasi Final Gained WNBA MVP in 2009 with the Mercury
Though Thomas missed 5 video games earlier within the season on account of a calf damage, she stays the staff’s defensive anchor and first facilitator.
“A whole lot of respect to AT (Alyssa Thomas),” Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper mentioned on August 14. “She doesn’t care about what everybody else does. She does what she does very properly. She doesn’t go exterior of that, and what she brings for what we have already got is superb. Simply that management, and I don’t assume there’s a greater passer than her at her place. So I like enjoying together with her.”
The final time the Phoenix Mercury had a participant win MVP honors was Diana Taurasi in 2009, when the staff completed 23-11 and gained the championship over the Indiana Fever. Moreover, in 2021, middle Brittney Griner completed second in MVP voting, the identical yr Jonquel Jones gained.
Fortunate Quantity 7: Alyssa Thomas Units a Profession-Excessive with Seven Triple-Doubles in a Season
On Friday’s house matchup towards the Golden Stateno Valkyries, Thomas recorded her sixth triple-double of the season, matching her profession greatest from the 2023 season with the Connecticut Solar. In that sport, she posted 13 factors, 12 rebounds, and 16 assists, surpassing Cappie Pondexter’s and her personal franchise report of 15 assists in a single sport.
To not point out, the Mercury’s fan base, often known as the X-Issue, broke out with MVP chants that erupted within the PHX area after the general public announcer shared Thomas’ stats. Phoenix ahead DeWanna Bonner mentioned, “What else extra do you want to see?”
pic.twitter.com/x0i8lOqqQs
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) August 27, 2025
“I believe it’s the last word signal of respect from a fanbase,” Thomas mentioned concerning the Mercury’s fanbase after Phoenix’s win over the Golden State Valkyries on August 22. “Not too many individuals can say that they’ve had a crowd cheering for them like that, however I actually respect it. I do know I’ve obtained them supporting me one hundred pc, and I’m simply tremendous grateful for these moments.”
Alyssa Thomas Leads Mercury’s Clutch Wins
All through the season, the Mercury have change into some of the clutch groups, because of Thomas’ management and contributions. Phoenix is ranked second within the league with a 12-6 clutch report, trailing the Las Vegas Aces (14-5), and leads the league in staff factors per sport (9.8) and rebounds per sport (3.8).
In a matchup towards the Indiana Fever on August 7, Thomas turned the primary participant in WNBA historical past to report three consecutive triple-doubles.
“I imply, it means all the pieces,” Satou Sabally mentioned after the Mercury’s win over the Solar on August 5. “Nobody has ever finished that earlier than, so she’s actually writing historical past.”
“And as teammates, we get to be a part of it, and we’re simply in awe, and it’s simply superb to see somebody proceed to push the ball laborious, be relentless within the pursuit of the sport, and actually, encourage youthful folks to do the identical. I imply, even in warm-up she’s the primary one. So it’s simply actually nice, and it simply speaks to her sport that she’s properly rounded throughout.”
Phoenix Mercury Fueled by Alyssa Thomas’ Two-Means Influence
As a member of the 2023 Connecticut Solar, Thomas completed as a runner-up in a decent MVP race that included New York Liberty ahead Breanna Stewart, the winner, and Las Vegas Aces ahead A’ja Wilson.
Thomas’ playmaking, management, and defensive prowess are what make the Mercury particular. Final yr, Phoenix struggled each defensively and on the boards, however this season the staff has turned the nook because of the addition of Thomas.
The Mercury rank fifth within the league in staff rebounds per sport with 34.6, third in defensive ranking at 99.6, and fourth in NET ranking at 4.2. Final season, Phoenix ranked eleventh in rebounds per sport with 32.3.
“AT (Alyssa Thomas) is an unbelievable participant,” Tibbetts mentioned after the Mercury’s win over the Fever on August 5. “She’d most likely be the primary to inform you or wouldn’t wish to speak about it, by hook or by crook, however I believe she’s most likely been neglected her complete profession on how nice she is. Simply the way in which that she performs is particular. She competes on each possession defensively.
“She desires to see her teammates succeed the way in which she passes the ball. I’ve mentioned it, we have to preserve successful for her to win the MVP, you must be one of many higher groups on this league. I believe we’ve confirmed that, clearly, there’s different nice gamers, you already know, AT will not be going to speak about herself in that dialog, however she simply brings a lot to our group each night time, and I’m simply actually joyful for her with the efficiency that she had tonight.”
Can the Phoenix Mercury Win the 2025 WNBA Title?
After an important offseason, the Mercury determined to half methods with Griner (who signed with the Atlanta Dream) and Taurasi (retirement), who have been thought of probably the greatest duos in franchise historical past.
In response, Phoenix introduced in Sabally and Thomas to pair with Copper, and the staff has put collectively one in all its greatest seasons in franchise historical past. Their 25 wins are the second-most in franchise historical past, behind the 29 wins from the 2014 season, once they gained the WNBA title.
After successful their final six of seven video games and clinching a playoff tiebreaker over the New York Liberty on Saturday, the Mercury sit fourth within the standings with a 25-14 report. WhenThomas, Sabally, and Copper every rating ten or extra factors, Phoenix is 13-2.
“…One stat that I did see right this moment, which I believe is superior, is clearly you already know folks love factors relating to MVP, however she leads the league with factors and assisted factors mixed, which I believe is a fairly particular stat,” Tibbetts mentioned after the Mercury’s win over the Liberty Saturday. “It exhibits that she’s scoring, perhaps not on the highest clip, however her assists form of take that over. So anyway, I like the AT (Alyssa Thomas) for MVP dialog. I believe she deserves it.
“Clearly, there’s different folks which are within the combine too…she’s been neglected most likely her complete profession, and it’s necessary for us to maintain successful to maintain that alive. In my view, she deserves all of the credit score that she’s getting, and I do know she doesn’t wish to speak about herself, however I understand how a lot she appreciates the X-Issue, and what they bring about and the love that they’ve given her each night time.”
Having reached the playoffs in 11 of the final 12 years, the Mercury goal to keep up their success and transfer previous the primary spherical for the primary time since 2021, once they reached the WNBA Finals.
Alyssa Thomas and the Phoenix Mercury will host the Indiana Fever subsequent on Tuesday, September 2, at 10 p.m. ET.
