2023 Phoenix Mercury season

The 2023 Phoenix Mercury season will be the 26th season for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the second season under head coach Vanessa Nygaard.

2023 Phoenix Mercury season
CoachVanessa Nygaard
ArenaFootprint Center
Attendanceper game
Results
Record0–0
Place0th (Western)
2024 season →

In October 2022, Skylar Diggins-Smith announced on Instagram that she was pregnant with her second child.[1]

On December 8, 2022, Brittney Griner was successfully returned to the United States of America after the Brittney Griner–Viktor Bout prisoner exchange went through without issues. By extension, Griner returned to action with the Mercury and the WNBA after missing the entire 2022 WNBA season due to her being arrested and imprisoned in Russia (a place she had previously played in for years during the WNBA's offseasons by playing with the UMMC Ekaterinburg without prior issue) for medical cannabis, which is considered an illegal substance there. The Mercury later re-signed Griner to a new deal on February 17, 2023.

On December 20, 2022, Mercury team owner Robert Sarver agreed to a deal made by a new ownership group led by United Wholesale Mortgage's CEO Mat Ishbia and his older brother Justin Ishbia where Sarver would sell his majority shares of both the Mercury and Phoenix Suns to them under a joint deal worth a record-high $4 billion.[2] This transition into new ownership was made during the month of September 2022 after an independent investigation led by the National Basketball Association revealed some ugly, disgusting behaviors he had throughout his ownership periods with both the Suns and Mercury, though primarily with the Suns.[3][4] The NBA approved of the sale to the Ishbia brothers on February 6, 2023,[5] with Sarver's transition out of ownership of both franchises being made official on February 7, 2023.[6][7][8] Despite his removal from ownership, Sarver still had to serve his suspension for the 2023 WNBA season until at least September 13, 2023; he has since disputed that suspension claim because of his lack of team ownership.[9]

Transactions

WNBA Draft
See also: 2023 WNBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country
3 27 Destiny Harden  United States Miami
3 29 Kadi Sissoko  France USC

Transactions
Date Transaction
January 6, 2023 Hired Monica Wright-Rogers as Assistant General Manager[10]
January 12, 2023 Extended Qualifying Offers to Sophie Cunningham, Megan Gustafson, Shey Peddy, and Sam Thomas[11]
February 2, 2023 Signed Sam Thomas to a Qualifying Offer - Training Camp Contract
February 3, 2023 Signed Sophie Cunningham to a 2-Year Deal[12]
Signed Megan Gustafson to a Training Camp Contract
February 6, 2023 Signed Sydney Wiese and Jennie Simms to Training Camp Contracts[13][14]
February 11, 2023 Acquired Michaela Onyenwere, a 2024 Third-Round Pick (from Chicago), and a 2025 Second-Round Pick (from Chicago) in a 4-Team Trade involving the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, and the New York Liberty[15]
February 13, 2023 Signed Moriah Jefferson[16]
February 17, 2023 Signed Diana Taurasi to a 2-Year Deal[17]
Signed Brittney Griner[18]
Signed Shey Peddy to a Training Camp Contract[19]
February 28, 2023 Signed Sug Sutton to a Training Camp Contract
March 2, 2023 Signed Destiny Slocum to a Training Camp Contract[20]
March 3, 2023 Hired Tully Bevilaqua as Assistant Coach[21]
March 27, 2023 Signed Kylee Shook to a Training Camp Contract
April 11, 2023 Signed Essence Booker to a Training Camp Contract[22]
April 12, 2023 Signed Destiny Harden, Kadi Sissoko, and Liz Dixon to Training Camp Contracts
April 21, 2023 Hired Taja Edwards as Assistant Coach[23]
April 27, 2023 Waived Sydney Wiese
May 5, 2023 Waived Destiny Harden
May 8, 2023 Waived Kylee Shook
May 10, 2023 Waived Essence Booker
May 13, 2023 Waived Liz Dixon and Destiny Slocum
May 15, 2023 Exercised 4th-Year Team Option on Michaela Onyenwere
May 16, 2023 Waived Jennie Simms and Sam Thomas

Roster Changes

Roster
Phoenix Mercury roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFromYrs
G9United StatesCunningham, Sophie6' 1" (1.85m)170 lb (77kg)1996-08-16Missouri4
G4United StatesDiggins-Smith, Skylar (Maternity Leave)5' 9" (1.75m)145 lb (66kg)1990-08-02Notre Dame9
C42United StatesGriner, Brittney6' 9" (2.06m)205 lb (93kg)1990-10-18Baylor9
C10United StatesGustafson, Megan6' 3" (1.91m)195 lb (88kg)1996-12-13Iowa4
G8United StatesJefferson, Moriah5' 6" (1.68m)123 lb (56kg)1994-03-08Connecticut6
F12United StatesOnyenwere, Michaela6' 0" (1.83m)178 lb (81kg)1999-08-10UCLA2
G11United StatesPeddy, Shey5' 7" (1.7m)145 lb (66kg)1988-10-28Temple4
F30FranceSissoko, Kadi6' 2" (1.88m)1999-01-25USCR
G1United StatesSutton, Sug5' 8" (1.73m)1998-12-17Texas1
G/F3United StatesTaurasi, Diana6' 0" (1.83m)163 lb (74kg)1982-06-11Connecticut18
F21United StatesTurner, Brianna6' 3" (1.91m)170 lb (77kg)1996-07-05Notre Dame4
G4United StatesWestbrook, Evina6' 0" (1.83m)158 lb (72kg)1998-09-28Connecticut1
Head coach
United States Vanessa Nygaard (Stanford)
Assistant coaches
United States Nikki Blue (UCLA)
Australia Tully Bevilaqua
United States Taja Edwards (Fresno State)
Athletic trainer
United States Hannah Breck (Boston University)
Strength and conditioning coach
United States Derrick Nillissen (Iowa Wesleyan)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured
  WNBA roster page
East
ATL
CHI
CON
IND
NY
WAS
West
DAL
LV
LA
MIN
PHO
SEA

Schedule

Preseason
2023 pre-season game log
Total: 1–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 1–0)
May: 1–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
1 May 8 @ Seattle W 77–71 Sug Sutton (11) Megan Gustafson (7) Kadi Sissoko (4) Climate Pledge Arena
5,119		 1–0
2 May 12 Los Angeles L 71–91 Taurasi
Cunningham (13)		 Megan Gustafson (6) Diana Taurasi (5) Footprint Center
N/A		 1–1
2023 pre-season schedule

Regular Season
2023 game log
Total: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
May: 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
1 May 19 @ Los Angeles Crypto.com Arena
2 May 21 Chicago Footprint Center
3 May 25 Minnesota Target Center
June : 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
4 June 2 Los Angeles Footprint Center
5 June 7 @ Dallas College Park Center
6 June 9 @ Dallas College Park Center
7 June 11 @ Indiana Gainbridge Fieldhouse
8 June 13 Seattle Footprint Center
9 June 16 @ Washington Entertainment and Sports Arena
10 June 18 @ New York Barclays Center
11 June 21 Las Vegas Footprint Center
12 June 24 @ Seattle Climate Pledge Arena
13 June 27 Dallas College Park Center
14 June 29 Indiana Footprint Center
July : 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
15 July 1 Minnesota Footprint Center
16 July 5 @ New York Barclays Center
17 July 7 @ Minnesota Target Center
18 July 9 Los Angeles Footprint Center
19 July 11 @ Las Vegas Michelob Ultra Arena
20 July 18 Connecticut Footprint Center
21 July 20 Chicago Footprint Center
22 July 23 @ Washington Entertainment and Sports Arena
23 July 25 @ Atlanta Gateway Center Arena
24 July 30 @ Chicago Wintrust Arena
August : 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
25 August 1 @ Indiana Gainbridge Fieldhouse
26 August 3 Atlanta Footprint Center
27 August 5 Seattle Footprint Center
28 August 8 Washington Footprint Center
29 August 10 Connecticut Footprint Center
30 August 13 @ Seattle Climate Pledge Arena
31 August 18 New York Footprint Center
32 August 20 Indiana Footprint Center
33 August 22 @ Los Angeles Crypto.com Arena
34 August 27 Dallas Footprint Center
35 August 29 @ Atlanta Gateway Center Arena
36 August 31 @ Connecticut Mohegan Sun Arena
September : 0–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Record
37 September 3 @ Minnesota Target Center
38 September 5 Washington Footprint Center
39 September 8 Las Vegas Footprint Center
40 September 10 @ Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena
2023 season schedule

Standings
# Team
W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
1 Atlanta Dream00.000-0–00–00–00–0
2 Chicago Sky00.000-0–00–00–00–0
3 Connecticut Sun00.000-0–00–00–00–0
4 Dallas Wings00.000-0–00–00–00–0
5 Indiana Fever00.000-0–00–00–00–0
6 Las Vegas Aces00.000-0–00–00–00–0
7 Los Angeles Sparks00.000-0–00–00–00–0
8 Minnesota Lynx00.000-0–00–00–00–0
9 New York Liberty00.000-0–00–00–00–0
10 Phoenix Mercury00.000-0–00–00–00–0
11 Seattle Storm00.000-0–00–00–00–0
12 Washington Mystics00.000-0–00–00–00–0

Notes

(#) – League Standing
x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from playoff contention
Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

Statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage  TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per game Team leader League leader

Regular Season
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Awards and Honors
Recipient Award/Milestone Date awarded Ref.

References
  1. Gonzalez, Isabel. "Phoenix Mercury star Skylar Diggins-Smith announces pregnancy". cbssports.com. CBS Sports. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  2. "Ishbia agrees to Suns purchase for record $4B". ESPN.com. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  3. "NBA statement about independent investigation regarding Robert Sarver and the Phoenix Suns organization". NBA.com: NBA Communications. 2022-09-13. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  4. "Suns' owner Sarver suspended from NBA/WNBA for one year, fined $10 million". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  5. "NBA approves sale of Suns, Mercury to Ishbia". ESPN.com. February 7, 2023.
  6. "Sources: Mat Ishbia's purchase of Suns, Mercury to be official soon". espn.com. 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  7. Sports, Arizona (February 7, 2023). "Mat Ishbia's purchase of Phoenix Suns approved by NBA vote". Arizona Sports.
  8. "MAT ISHBIA ASSUMES CONTROLLING OWNERSHIP INTEREST OF PHOENIX SUNS AND PHOENIX MERCURY". www.nba.com.
  9. "Robert Sarver disputes his 'active' suspension since he no longer owns Phoenix Suns". MSN.
  10. "PHOENIX MERCURY NAME MONICA WRIGHT ROGERS AS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  11. @RachGall (January 12, 2023). "The Phoenix Mercury extended Qualifying Offers to Sam Thomas, Shey Peddy, Megan Gustafson and Sophie Cunningham. @Winsidr" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. "SPICY SOPHIE RETURNS! MERCURY RE-SIGNS SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  13. "MERCURY RE-SIGNS GUSTAFSON, SIMMS, THOMAS". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  14. "MERCURY SIGNS SYDNEY WIESE". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  15. "Chicago Sky Acquires Marina Mabrey in Four-Team Trade". sky.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  16. "MERCURY SIGNS MORIAH JEFFERSON". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  17. "RETURN OF THE GOAT! TAURASI RE-SIGNS WITH MERCURY". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  18. "MERCURY RE-SIGN BRITTNEY GRINER". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  19. "PHOENIX MERCURY RE-SIGN GUARD SHEY PEDDY". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  20. "MERCURY ADDS SLOCUM, SUTTON TO TRAINING CAMP ROSTER". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  21. "MERCURY ADDS 14-YEAR WNBA VETERAN TULLY BEVILAQUA TO STAFF". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  22. "WNBA's Mercury Sign Booker To Training Camp Contract". unlvrebels.com. UNLV Rebels. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  23. "Phoenix Mercury adds Taja Edwards to coaching staff". mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
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