The Phoenix Mercury are going to look a lot different this year. Two franchise cornerstones, both of whom having been there for over a decade, are gone. First, Griner announced that she would be signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Dream. Then, if I have the timeline right, Diana Taurasi quietly decided “yeah, I’m out.”
Maybe we should have noticed something when she was wearing black all last year.
This is what DT wanted. She wanted her exit to be behind the scenes. She didn’t want the big send-off like Sue Bird got, and they tried to give Sylvia Fowles. She went the Candace Parker route. That’s her choice, and I’m sure if she changes her mind in 2026 some team would absolutely take her. This seems to be what makes her happiest, though. That’s the most important thing.
But for fans who would have preferred to know they were celebrating her for one last time, it kind of stings a little. The retirement tours aren’t just for the players, they’re for the fans who want a last chance at showing appreciation.
Ah well. It doesn’t appear they’ll get that chance with DT in that way, but they have a similar situation coming up with Griner. Griner was on the 2014 championship team, she was a 10-time All-Star, a multi-time Defensive Player of the Year and scoring champion, and on and on. She’s coming back to Phoenix. This is your chance to show her love.
I’m convinced. I need to be there. When will Brittney Griner be back in Phoenix?
You have time to prepare. Atlanta’s first trip out to Phoenix is on Wednesday, July 23. The game is at 10:00 p.m. EDT and will be on CBSSN. At least it’s on a national network, even if it’s not a network I have. It’s really cool how that’s the case, though. I really, really like it. Sometimes I make a list of things I’m grateful for, and right at the top of the list every time is “How sports packages are sold and managed in 2025.” After that is all the other stuff like my partner, friends, family, flavor blasted pizza goldfish.
They also play two more times. The first game is in Atlanta on Friday, August 1 at 7:30 p.m. EDT on ION. The second game is back in Phoenix on Sunday, August 10 at 6:00 p.m. EDT on NBATV.
This is going to be an interesting WNBA season. There was a lot of movement. It should be exciting.