Why the Phoenix Mercury Missed the 2023 Award Season
The Phoenix Mercury had a challenging 2023 season, finishing with a record of 9-31. They started the season on a sour note, losing to the Los Angeles Sparks 94-71 in a Commissioner's Cup game. Despite the loss, the Mercury showcased some impressive individual performances, with Brittney Griner leading the way with 18 points, six rebounds, four blocks, and two steals. Moriah Jefferson contributed 16 points, four assists, four rebounds, and a block, while Diana Taurasi added 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Off the bench, Sug Sutton scored 10 points, grabbed three rebounds, dished out three assists, and stole the ball once.
The team's struggles persisted throughout the season, as they found it challenging to find a consistent rhythm. The Mercury finished as the worst team in the league, prompting necessary changes to get back on track.
Given the team's performance, it's no surprise that the Mercury were largely absent from the award races. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award went to Breanna Stewart, who averaged a career-high 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.5 steals for the New York Liberty, leading them to the WNBA Finals. Stewart earned 446 points, while Alyssa Thomas, a future Mercury player, came in second with 439 points. Another future Mercury player, Satou Sabally, finished fifth with 35 points.
Aliyah Boston was the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year, leaving no room for competition. A'ja Wilson won the Defensive Player of the Year award with 32 points, while Thomas received 24 points in that race. The Sixth Woman of the Year award saw no involvement from the Mercury, but a few future players were in the running. Alysha Clark won the award with 35 points, while Kalani Brown and Sami Whitcomb tied for fourth with one point each, joined by Marine Johannes.
Sabally was named Most Improved Player after averaging a career-high 18.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.8 steals. She won the award convincingly, despite other players being in the race.
The only award race that featured a Mercury player was the Sportsmanship award, which was won by Elizabeth Williams. Megan Gustafson, who was playing for Phoenix at the time, received a vote. Looking ahead, future Phoenix players were also involved, as Whitcomb tied for fourth and Rebecca Allen, who played with the Mercury in 2024, tied for eighth.
Despite a difficult year, the Mercury showed signs of improvement as the season progressed. The team's struggles in 2023 served as a learning curve, and they will look to build on these experiences in future seasons.
