The Phoenix Mercury is standing tall despite the overhaul in the 2025 offseason. The new look side looked stronger than ever and currently stands in fourth place with a 27-14 record. Along with Allysha Thomas, Satou Sabally, and Kahleah Copper are leading the side in different stats.
Sabally pushed Alysha Thomas as a frontrunner for the MVP accolade, but the star herself has been an impactful addition to the side. Talking to Sue Bird, the 27-year-old star, reacted to the reason for her move from the Dallas Wings.
Satou Sabally Talks About Her Move Away From Wings
The Dallas Wings were one of the top teams before the addition of Paige Bueckers. But the side lost its gem in the Oregon star, who completed her rookie contract and moved to the conference rivals, the Phoenix Mercury.
She was on the ‘Bird’s View’ podcast, and she talked about her decision to move. As per the 27-year-old star, she was ready with her decision midway through the 2024 season, as she returned from the injury. She had a supermax contract on the table, but refused to take it and move to the Mercury team.
She reflected on the ‘shocking’ decision, pointing out that the absence of stability in the Wings organization forced her to make the drastic decision.
“I realized once I was here, I’m like, ‘Oh… there was not a lot of resources.’ Like, worrying about your own pregame meals, like that’s crazy. And no shade at all, but I think we deserve to be in organizations that cater to their players,” Sabally said on the podcast. She praised the Mercury’s front office for taking care of players.
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“I felt like I gave everything and I wasn’t able to leave sooner, so that was the year to leave. I was just happy that Phoenix being an organization that really provides for their players and has an ecosystem that allows you to really flourish and like focus on, you know, the best rehab people out here,” she added.
She was a key member of the Wings’ 2023 playoff run, along with Arike Ogunbowale. The Wings accepted her trade request after the 2024 season and moved her into a four-team mega trade.
Satou Sabally Looking To Bring Glory Days Back To Mercury
Despite their fourth-place standing in the league, it is important to note that the Mercury are level with the Aces and close to second-ranked Atlanta Dream, highlighting their impressive season. In the previous three seasons, the three-time champions had a first-round exit twice and missed the playoffs once.
But the revamped side with Sabally and Thomas is making them a strong contender for the championship this season. They defeated the 2024 finalists – Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty in the season, putting forward their contender credentials for the title.
The former Wings forward is averaging 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Sabally’s All-Star form played crucial role in the team’s run through tough stretch. Alyssa Thomas with a triple-double record is making history in every game and makes the team hard to beat.