Phoenix Mercury's Positionless Basketball Plan
Forward and guard have talked about the benefits of playing positionless basketball and the intensity it brings on the defensive end.
Thomas also expects the Mercury to finish in the top three in the league in defensive rating in the new season. When she was a member of the Connecticut Sun, the team finished No.1 in defensive rating at 94.1 and Phoenix finished No.9 with 105.4 defensive rating last season.
"So for me, defense is part of my identity. I love to play defense. I take a lot of pride in it, and hopefully we can all go out there and be top three in defense this year."
Positionless basketball allows players to move freely across the court without being restricted to traditional positions. This approach emphasizes versatility, enabling players to adapt their roles based on their strengths and situational needs.
Throughout her career, has played alongside some of the greatest names in women's basketball, including and
As she enters her tenth WNBA season, she aims to expand her leadership role—especially with the additions of Thomas and Sabally, and the departures of fan favorites Taurasi and Griner
"You're able to be your your best, authentic and genuine self," "When you do it your way, you don't try to do it any like anyone else does it, because that's what makes you who you are.
Last season, Copper achieved a career-high 21.1 points per game, finishing in the top three. She made history for the franchise by scoring 30 or more points in several of the season's opening games, and has been a game changer in the locker room and on and off the court.
Tibbetts praised Copper for being a "special" type of player and highlighted her significant development in the league over the years. Both joined the Mercury as new head coach and player last year. This season, they enter their second season with heightened expectations regarding their leadership roles and positionless basketball.
When decided to sign with the Mercury during free agency, she expressed that Copper would have high expectations of her and is excited to play as teammates.
"I want that, because I know her drive as a player. I played against her. She is one. So that's where I want to be, so I'm ready to learn. And even the third practice, or the second practice, she just huddled everyone together and spoke up."
On Friday, second-year guard expressed her gratitude for having Kelsey Copper as a "big sister." Taylor has looked up to Copper since she was drafted by the Indiana Fever out of Ohio State in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
After fully recovering from a foot injury she sustained while playing in Australia during the offseason, Taylor is eager to continue learning and growing under Copper's leadership.
Defense is the main focus for the Mercury this season. As they work on playing faster, Thomas has made an emphasis while mentioning her identity on the defensive end.
Guard explains that the Mercury is developing team chemistry while building patience throughout the long regular season. She emphasizes that consistency and fast play on both ends are key for Phoenix.
"We know that this, getting to a place where you're winning regularly and consistently is hard in this league, and that's what we're trying to do now."
After spending her first four seasons with the Dallas Wings, Sabally is headed to the Mercury for a new start.
Sabally praised her teammate Kalani Brown, who was acquired through a four-team trade in the offseason. She believes Brown will be a valuable asset as a center, stepping in to fill Griner's role.
"I love playing with bigs and I think having Kalani [Brown] on the team will be such an asset," Sabally told Ballislife. "She's very mobile and she can run the floor. But she's also a good shooter and knows the game. Her IQ is really high and I've profited of having big people in the paint because you need to guard them. You need to box them out.
"They will just rebound the ball and I love my little dish-offs to the post inside, too. It creates this form of being able to rely on people, and obviously we had two last year, we were really big in Dallas but I feel like we are really big here, too."
Sabally shares her thoughts on Tibbetts' plan for a "position-less basketball" team, emphasizing the importance of team chemistry and playing at a faster pace throughout the regular season.
“It's really in today's way of playing basketball,” Sabally told Ballislife. “I think people just become more skilled at everything, and I have always been a player where it's like, oh, ‘I don't even know which position I'm at', I'm versatile and I love playing the point or bringing the ball up. I love posting up, and the same goes for [Alyssa Thomas].
“We have Kalani (Brown) shooting three—Having that flow and that unpredictable movement of offensive players. We know what we're doing."
The Phoenix Mercury will begin their regular season at home on Saturday, May 17, when they welcome the visiting Nneka Ogwumike and the Seattle Storm.
