The WNBA will soon be marked as the rookie league. While the veterans are definitely going strong, the rookie stars are getting some of the biggest pops, thanks to their impressive showing. Take, for example, Paige Bueckers. The Dallas Wings’ rookie has been so successful that personalities like Sue Bird have advocated for more media coverage of Bueckers. Add to that the emerging dominance of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen alongside the legendary Caitlin Clark. Meanwhile, another rookie has quietly come a long way. And she is none other than Phoenix Mercury’s Monique Akoa Makani.
Now then, the Mercury has made it to the playoffs. And facing the defending champions, they are already down by one game. But with the team going toe-to-toe against the New York Liberty, a large chunk of credit surely goes to Makani. And with such strong defense, the noise around her making it to the All-WNBA Rookie team is getting louder.
Monique Akoa Makani Is Emerging As Phoenix Mercury’s Primary Defender
One look at Makani, and it might not seem that she is as impressive as the likes of Bueckers and Citron. However, sometimes, the stat line does not narrate the whole story. Mercury has a strong defensive line with Alyssa Thomas playing the anchor. However, despite Thomas’ presence, the team needed a suitable helping hand to complement Thomas’s game. And that is where the star rookie passed her test in flying colors.
Guarding the perimeter, Makani soon became “the best pick-and-roll defender in the league,” as per Nate Tibbetts. And he was not exaggerating. Guarding the perimeter, the rookie star only allowed 0.77 points with the pick-and-rolls. For the uninitiated, only the likes of Kahleah Copper and Brittney Sykes had better numbers than Makani.
53 players have defended at least 200 PnRs as the ball-handler defender.
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) August 22, 2025
Only two players (Brittney Sykes, Kahleah Copper) have allowed a lower points per possession number than Monique (0.77), and she's defended *way* more than them (493 for her, 386 for Sykes, 212 for Kah). https://t.co/IFBZJqXVT3
On the flip side, the rookie had 493 possessions, which were significantly better than both Copper and Sykes. And surely, all these records might just be enough to land the Phoenix rookie with a spot in the All-WNBA Rookie team.
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Does Monique Akoa Makani Fulfill The All-WNBA Rookie Team Requirements?
Makani concluded her regular season with 39.8% shooting from the three-peat range. When it came to the free-throw line, the Mercury rookie was more accurate, shooting a whopping 92.7%. However, whether Makani qualifies for the rookie team is quite a debatable issue. Previously, there have been instances when the likes of Sam Thomas were selected with an average of less than one point per game.
But now, the times are changing. In the past couple of years, there has been a surge of rookies emerging as strong contenders. Back in 2024, the team consisted of Clark, Angel Reese, Rickea Jackson, Kamilla Cardoso, and Leonie Feibich. This year, Bueckers, Citron, and Iriafen look confirmed. But with Makani having a great impact on Mercury’s WNBA playoff formula that many teams missed out on, her selection might just be a matter of time.