For the first time in a very long time, the Phoenix Mercury had its full squad. After navigating a slow start, they gradually turned up the heat in the second half to gain a comfortable 88-72 victory over the Washington Mystics. But amid the team’s dominant performance, Alyssa Thomas was making headlines.
When the Mercury found their rhythm late in the game, Thomas did something extraordinary. Not only did she lead the team to end their three-game losing streak, but she also proved why she was the best acquisition of the 2024-25 season.
How Is Alyssa Thomas Redefining What Leadership Looks Like?
Thomas’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. The veteran forward helped lift the team to a 16-9 record, second best in the Western Conference. She also secured a double-double, posting 27 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals on 70.6% shooting from the field.
Shooting 12-of-17 from the field, she has the most games in WNBA history with 25/10/5 on 70%+ field goal percentage. This milestone performance showcased why Thomas has become indispensable to Phoenix’s championship aspirations.
Alyssa Thomas put on an absolute MASTERCLASS in the @PhoenixMercury‘s win over the Mystics 🚨
27 PTS (12-17 FG)
11 REB
8 AST
3 STL
1 BLK#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/SBCgt7NbVC— WNBA (@WNBA) July 28, 2025
With this milestone performance, Thomas has cemented her importance to the Phoenix squad. According to ESPN, she’s now the first player in WNBA history to record at least 175 assists and 150 rebounds in her first 20 games of a season.
How is Thomas Exerting Her Dominance in the League?
Thomas is taking away the crown for the WNBA’s all-time triple-doubles after racking up 16 in total, 12 in the regular season and four in the playoffs. This season, she is also dishing out a league-leading 9.4 assists per game and grabbing 7.8 rebounds each night, ranking in the top 10.
After spending over a decade with the Connecticut Sun, the six-time All-Star was traded to Phoenix during the offseason. In her first year with the Mercury, she averages 15.1 points per game and leads the squad in rebounds, assists, and steals. This production comes while sharing the floor with stars like Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper.
With Thomas leading the way, the Mercury sustains its status as a promising team, proving a significant threat in the playoffs. Thomas has been an underrated star for years, something her head coach, Nate Tibbetts, doesn’t understand.
Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said he’s unsure why Alyssa Thomas is an understated player.
“She’s the ultimate competitor. She’s takes complete pride in winning, and it burns her up when you lose, and it’s a lot of fun to have somebody like that on your team.”#WNBA pic.twitter.com/WymbNQFuzS
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) July 27, 2025
Speaking about the 33-year-old star, he said, “She’s an ultimate winner… Everyone loves the shooting and scoring these days, which is important, obviously. But she makes her teammates better offensively, and then defensively she just competes. It just burns her up when you lose. It’s a lot of fun to have somebody like that on your team.”
The Phoenix Mercury will next face the Indiana Fever on Wednesday, looking to build on this momentum as they continue their push toward playoff positioning.
