Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb (No. 33) attempts a three-pointer during a game against the Indiana Fever at Mortgage Matchup Center on July 9 (Photo: Adrianna Peralta | The Podium Finish)
PHOENIX- Long at last. One of the Phoenix Mercury‘s fan favorites made their season debut during a home game against the Indiana Fever on July 9 at the Mortgage Matchup Center.
Guard Sami Whitcomb returned to the court after missing the team’s first 22 games due to left knee arthroscopy, and it’s needless to say, the Mercury are almost back at full strength after dealing with player movement and navigating through challenges at the start of the season.
“It’s been great,” Whitcomb said Thursday. “It’s nice to be playing again. I’m really enjoying being out there. Yeah, I mean, I was with the team the whole time. I was very fortunate that I got to travel with the group and to my rehab and grow for most of it. It’s just nice to be out there, try and help where I can on the floor.”
In her first year with the Mercury, Whitcomb became famous for a key moment in the season when she hit a game-tying three-pointer in Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA Semifinals against the Minnesota Lynx, helping secure Phoenix’s spot in the Finals.
Throughout this season, her impact on and off the court was dearly missed by the Mercury as they continue to navigate through adversity while making a playoff push despite an 9-18 record.
“First of all, energy-wise, she’s a great leader for this team,” guard Monique Akoa Makani said. “She always showed example. She is a great voice for us on and off the court, and her being here, like obviously, it’s another danger, three-point-wise, and also she’s been very aggressive after picking role, so I’m very excited to have her back here.”
Whitcomb Becomes WNBA’s All-time Leader in Three-Pointers made off the Bench
Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb (No. 33) during a game against the Indiana Fever at Mortgage Matchup Center on July 9 (Photo: Adrianna Peralta | The Podium Finish)
On July 14, during a road game against the Minnesota Lynx, Whitcomb surpassed Kara Lawson to become the all-time leader in three-pointers made off the bench, reaching 307. This achievement further cements her status as one of the league’s most prolific three-point shooters.
Whitcomb began her WNBA career with the Seattle Storm in 2017 and quickly established herself as a key contributor and fan favorite, winning championships in 2018 and 2020 alongside veterans like Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, and Alysha Clark. Now in her tenth season, she remains an impactful presence on both ends of the court for the Phoenix Mercury.
“I did not even know that was a stat I was a part of or close to being a part of,” Whitcomb said when being asked about her historic accomplishment.
“That was surprising more than anything, but also incredible, really. Like, I would have never thought that I’d be in the league long enough, make enough shots, all those things. I think it’s very cool. I’ve been a part of some incredible teams with incredible casters, and people who find me. Very lucky that I’ve been trusted enough to shoot those shots as well.”
Beyond the WNBA, Whitcomb has built an impressive international career, playing professionally overseas and starring for the Australian Women’s National Team. Her accolades include the WNBL’s MVP and Grand Final MVP awards in 2025. She also helped lead Australia to a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics under coach Sandy Brondello, who currently heads the Toronto Tempo.
Whitcomb mentioned how the coaching staff and players of the Mercury have helped contribute to her recovery process, and that her first time going through rehab in her professional career was one of the bright spots.
“The whole staff team here, everyone has been really great throughout this whole process,” Whitcomb said. “It was obviously harder (and) longer than we thought it would be. I’ve never done a rehab before, so just all of that. There’s a lot to it.
“(Assistant coach) Megan Vogel, in particular, is my skills coach, but she did a lot of rehab with me. She came and did the swims with me in the morning. Sometimes when I was able to start sprinting, she would sprint with me, watched films with me. Just was with me throughout the whole thing. I think it was really special, just to get back and forth and finally be able to play some minutes together.”
After the Mercury’s heartbreaking loss to the Fever on July 9, guard Kahleah Copper, who experienced a similar recovery process after her own knee injury at the start of the 2025 WNBA season, and head coach Nate Tibbetts both described Whitcomb’s return as a wonderful sight following her nearly two-month absence due to left knee arthroscopy.
“It was great,” Copper said on July 9. “I’ve been in Sami’s position, from the rehab to the tough days, to being able to just finally get back out there. So, I’m super excited for Sami. It’s been a long time coming, long rehab. I’m excited.”
“Sami is just the connector, you know?” Tibbetts added. “It’s going to take her a little bit to get a rhythm, I mean she’s missed 23 games or something like that. She’s someone that our whole group pulls for. She’s got a great way about her. She had a great look and transition there that would have pushed it to 13 – that would have been a big one, and that thing was in and out. But yeah, having her experience, her confidence and her positivity is huge for our group.”
Whitcomb is in her second season with the Mercury, and her leadership on the bench is one of the bright spots despite having a losing record. During the team’s shootaround on Thursday, she mentioned the importance of capitalizing on wins in clutch moments while still having belief in the roster.
Players across Phoenix have praised Whitcomb’s impact on and off the court, and forward Marta Suarez, who went from developmental player to signing a seven-day contract with the team, is impressed with what she has seen from her.
“She’s a phenomenal vet in terms of her ethic, how she shows up, her routine, and how vocal she is about making us involved and getting the team going,” Suarez said of Whitcomb.
Playoff push
Phoenix Mercury huddles around after losing to the Indiana Fever at Mortgage Matchup Center on July 9 (Photo: Adrianna Peralta | The Podium Finish)
After the Mercury lost to the Lynx on the road, forwards DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas emphasized the significance of playing with a positive mindset while making a push towards the playoffs.
“That’s just a focus, (especially having) been in the league for 17 years,” Bonner said July 14. “Just know that we can’t dwell on that game. We can’t let that game define who we are, what we’ve done this whole season, and how we play. You just got to come in, step on that court, and it’s a new game, new opponent, new team. Just coming in with a different mindset.”
Phoenix has made better adjustments after losing to the Las Vegas Aces by 48 points on July 11 and looks to continue building the momentum with 19 games to be played in the regular season.
“I’m glad that we didn’t have to sit on that game very long,” Tibbetts said. “That was disappointing for our whole organization, our fan base. We’re better than that; we showed that tonight. But we’ve got a tough road ahead, and we’re going to have more games like this. And we got to keep fighting to make that push for that eight seed.”
“I mean, any moment for us at this point is important,” Thomas added. “You know, this is the make-or-break point of the season. Whether or not you’re going to make that final push to try to get one of those playoff positions. You need games like this to come down to the stretch, and once again, it goes their way. It just seems to be the epitome of the season.”
It’s do-or-die for the Mercury as they look to achieve a goal of making the postseason despite a start the team hasn’t envisioned.
