The Phoenix Mercury have been missing a lot more than just three-point shooting. And on Thursday night against the Indiana Fever, they’ll finally get that back.
Sami Whitcomb will make her 2025 season debut after sitting out 22 games following arthroscopic surgery on her left knee. She hasn’t played a single minute yet this year, but anyone who’s watched the Mercury knows the impact she brings goes far beyond the stat sheet.
Whitcomb is one of the league’s top snipers from deep. That part is obvious. But what doesn’t show up in the box score is the work. The constant, relentless work. At roughly the midpoint of last season, she had already put up 10,000 shots in the team’s practice facility. That’s not a typo. Ten thousand. By midseason.
And that work ethic didn’t disappear while she was hurt. Reporters walking into the Mercury’s practice facility during her rehab could always find her off to the side working with an assistant coach. Testing her knee. Getting up shots. Chipping away at that rust even when she couldn’t play.
More Than a Shooter
Here’s the thing about Whitcomb that her teammates keep bringing up. She spaces the floor even when her shot isn’t falling. Defenses have to honor her range, which opens up driving lanes for everyone else. Playing alongside Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper should make for some interesting offensive looks. Thomas thrives on finding cutters and shooters in space. Whitcomb gives her another legitimate option to kick to.
But maybe her biggest impact has been on the younger players. Rookies Marta Suarez, Sha Carter and Shay Ciezki have all talked about what it’s like watching her prepare. The 2025 rookies said the same thing. Whitcomb’s work ethic is practically legendary inside that building. She doesn’t just talk about it. She lives it.
That mentorship matters on a team still figuring out its identity. The Mercury have been inconsistent without her. They’ve had flashes but haven’t put together a complete stretch of basketball yet.
Whitcomb’s return is another step toward full strength. They’re still without center Natasha Mack, so this isn’t the final version of this team. But it’s the closest they’ve looked all season.
Thursday against Indiana will be the first real test of how she fits back into the rotation. How many minutes she plays and whether there’s any restriction hasn’t been announced. But after 22 games on the sideline, she’s ready to go.
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