Phoenix Mercury forward Marta Suárez (No. 77) warms up before facing the Indiana Fever on July 9 at Mortgage Matchup Center. (Photo: Adrianna Peralta | The Podium Finish)
PHOENIX — On the day the Phoenix Mercury signed forward Marta Suarez to a developmental contract before the start of the regular season, the team immediately recognized her immense potential.
Suarez was born and raised in Spain and played for three different schools during her collegiate career: the Tennessee Lady Vols (2020-23), the California Golden Bears (2023-25) and the TCU Horned Frogs (2025-26).
She made a name for herself with the TCU Horned Frogs in her final year of college, where she averaged career highs in points (17.1), rebounds (7.4) and minutes (31.4) over 38 games. She also played alongside a notable WNBA Draft prospect, guard Olivia Miles.
“Mark Campbell does a great job communicating and preparing, and also preaching about everybody’s capabilities and what your goals can be, and encouraging you to do that,” Suarez said of TCU women’s basketball head coach Mark Campbell during Thursday’s shootaround.
“He encourages hard work. He angles like real things. He tries to give you a lot of insights. He did a great job of trying to communicate how the league works, what it looks like, and how anybody can find their spot there. But other than that, I’ll say instilling confidence. He talks a lot about that and the importance of it because you’re coming to a place where everybody’s good.”
Phoenix Mercury forward Marta Suarez (No. 77) high-fives forward Valeriane Ayayi (No. 11) during a home game against the Seattle Storm on July 2. (Photo: Adrianna Peralta | The Podium Finish)
How Marta Suarez Found a Home in Phoenix
At the start of her professional career, Suarez moved between several teams before beginning as a developmental player with the Mercury. She recently signed a seven-day contract with Phoenix as her teammate, guard Sha Carter, signed a developmental contract after being waived.
Originally selected 16th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm, she was then traded to the Golden State Valkyries in exchange for Flau’jae Johnson. Suarez appeared in only one preseason game with the Valkyries before being waived on May 2 and picked up by the Mercury on May 6.
“Every player is so unique,” Suarez said when being asked about the Mercury’s roster moves that were made on Thursday. “You’re trying to figure out how to play everybody together and how to make those things work.”
In her first game since signing the seven-day contract, Suarez recorded a career-high 10 points and two three-pointers made while playing for nearly 11 minutes in Phoenix’s home loss to the Indiana Fever.
She recorded five consecutive points for the Mercury at the start of the fourth quarter, and her contributions impressed the team.
“Marta is an extremely hard worker,” head coach Nate Tibbetts said of Suarez. “Basketball is extremely important to her. She’s not afraid of anything; she’s not afraid of competing.”
Suarez has had the chance to learn from veterans like DeWanna Bonner—who recently surpassed 8,000 career points—Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Copper and Sami Whitcomb. Suarez credits Whitcomb in particular for having the most impact on her development.
When asked about her career night in the postgame, she mentioned her passion for the game of basketball while continuing to build her confidence on the court.
“I love basketball,” Suarez said postgame after the Mercury’s loss to the Fever. “I’m playing the long game. At the end of the day, it’s about everyday work and just doing what I can and wherever I can step in this season and help this team; that’s what I’m going to do. That’s what I think I pride my versatility on. So, other than that, there’s no pressure.”
Phoenix Mercury guard and developmental Shay Ciezki (No. 5) and forward Marta Suarez (No. 77) interact during a home game against the Chicago Sky on July 7. (Photo: Adrianna Peralta | The Podium Finish)
Suarez Stays Ready When Her Name is Called
In her first game with the Mercury back in May, Suarez fouled out late in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks. Since then, she has become more comfortable in Tibbetts’ coaching system and has been getting more opportunities on the court.
One instance was when Suarez contributed off the bench with six points and three rebounds for Phoenix in the team’s win over the Seattle Storm at home on July 2.
“She’s done a really, really good job as far as just staying ready,” associate head coach Kristi Toliver said on July 2nd. “She walks into the gym at seven, and she’s already on the gun, shooting jump shots. She’s just a worker; all of them are, and when they are called and their time is ready, they’re ready to answer the call.
“Marta (Suarez), extremely excited for her, I thought she rebounded the ball very well, gave us second and third opportunities, and then offensively, we know what she does. She wants to score. She has a knack for the rim, and just to see her contributions means a lot for our group.”
Suarez is a versatile forward, able to play multiple positions, shoot from the perimeter and stretch the floor. Her Mercury teammates and coaches have been impressed by her growth and development since she arrived in Phoenix.
“I think she has a chance to be a forward, power forward, center, small forward, maybe someday,” Tibbetts said Thursday. “She’s a smart and skilled player, and her shooting — that’s one of the reasons we like her. She can space the floor, and she did that tonight.”
One of the Mercury guards, Lexi Held, saw the hard work that Suarez and guard Shay Ciezki, another developmental player, put in from the beginning to the end of practices inside the facility.
“Marta (Suarez) and Shay Ciezki, they’re the first in the gym, and the last at the gym like they are gym rats, and you know they’re ready when their opportunity comes, as you can see,” Held said of Suarez and Ciezki. “So, you can’t say enough good things about them. They love to be in the gym, they put their work in, and they deserve their minutes, and they make the most of them. Marta’s great fit.”
Off the court, Suarez has developed a close friendship with Carter and Ciezki since training camp and the start of the regular season. What stands out to them is their ongoing commitment to improving both on and off the court, supporting each other’s growth as teammates and friends.
“We would just kind of be hanging out, and the way things go, I was just thinking to myself, like, are we friends?” Suarez said of Carter and Ciezki. “You have teammates, but are we friends? Ever since then, the way that we encourage each other to work. We work out together all the time.
“We come to shoot first; we’re the last ones here, and then we support each other through the tough times because this is not easy, and the three of us are in very similar situations, with a lot of talent and a lot of hunger, so it’s been just, you know, awesome. I’m incredibly grateful. If anything, that’s something that I’ve taken with me for a long time.”
Suarez’s impact with the Mercury has been evident as she continues to improve with each game. Her rise began at TCU, where she established herself as a first-round WNBA Draft prospect. With her steady progress, it’s only a matter of time before she secures a standard WNBA contract.
