2025 WNBA Finals: Sami Whitcomb’s offensive spark must return if Mercury hope to extend series in Game 4

Sami Whitcomb’s fiery spirit and timely shooting helped spur the Phoenix Mercury to the 2025 WNBA Finals. But if the team hopes to stave off elimination after falling into a 0-3 hole to the Las Vegas Aces in the best-of-seven series, Whitcomb must play a key role off the bench in Game 4 on Friday night.

Thankfully, with the season on the line and Mercury trailing the Aces in perimeter shooting by roughly five percentage points, this moment seems tailor-made for a Whitcomb outbreak.

“We trust her with every single shot; it doesn’t matter,” Mercury forward Satou Sabally said. “She’s made five, she’s missed five. Like she’s open, she will get the ball.”

When Whitcomb joined the Mercury last offseason, she was looking for a reset.

The eight-year WNBA veteran started her career in Seattle, where she won two championships with the Storm. She had a two-year stint in New York before returning to Seattle in 2023.

Last season was one of the worst of her career. Whitcomb’s 15 minutes per game were her lowest since her rookie and sophomore seasons in the league, and her average 3-point percentage dipped below 30% for the first and only time. Her inconsistent role led the Australian Olympian to explore free agency.

In Phoenix, the 37-year-old’s game has found new life. This season, Whitcomb’s 3-point and field-goal percentages have returned to her career averages, and her 9.2 points per game are the second-most in her WNBA tenure. This postseason, Whitcomb’s 6.2 points per game match her career high.

“I feel like I’m playing well and helping the team. That’s obviously why I came here. I came here to help us, you know, be in this position that we are now,” Whitcomb told CBS Sports.

So far, she hasn’t shown her best against the Aces. After an injury scare in Game 1, Whitcomb’s shooting numbers have plummeted. The Mercury sharp shooter went 0-8 from the floor and 0-6 from the perimeter in the last two games of the series.

The good news for Phoenix fans is that the Mercury and Whitcomb are familiar with having their backs against a wall. After Sabally went down on Wednesday night with an apparent head injury, the team went on a 9-0 run in under 40 seconds to tie the game. It took a clutch A’ja Wilson shot and a clean defensive effort for the Aces to win a game they led by as many as 17 points. Earlier this postseason, the Mercury completed a 20-point comeback against the Minnesota Lynx.

“When you’ve got people that really just care about [toughness] more than anything else, none of these things sort of seem, I don’t want to say difficult, but they don’t seem impossible,” Whitcomb said. “Like getting down 20, it doesn’t seem like an impossibility that we can fight back. It doesn’t seem like an impossibility that we had to go and win two games after losing the first one in that New York series. Everything feels possible with this group because of that toughness.”

For Whitcomb, that fight has manifested into an increased defensive effort.

“There’s such a high-level commitment to it. It’s really lifted my defensive game, as well as just my efforts and my focus on that end,” Whitcomb said.

“Most people think Sami is just a shooter, but you know, if you haven’t watched her game over the years, whether it’s W or overseas, she impacts the game in so many ways,” Alyssa Thomas said.

Phoenix delights in making life as difficult as possible for its competition. Sabally, Kahleah Copper and especially Thomas are the three-headed defensive dog that fuels Phoenix. Aside from their physical style of one-on-one defense, Phoenix does a good job moving their opponents out of position. The Mercury gave up the second-fewest second-chance points (9.5) and points in the paint (33.9) per game in the regular season.

But while defense is important in the desert, Whitcomb is indispensable to Phoenix because of her ability to shoot from the perimeter.

The undrafted University of Washington alumna has shot 50% or better from the field in 13 games and 50% or better from the perimeter 12 times this season. She posted a career-high 36 points in a July 7 game against the Dallas Wings.

Whitcomb’s ability to space the floor opens up the paint for the Big 3. And, of course, a perfectly timed 3-pointer can be a jolt for her team and a back breaker for opponents.

The Australian drained a huge 3-pointer in Game 2 of the semifinal series against the  Lynx that tied the game 79-79 with 3.4 seconds left in regulation. The clutch shot forced overtime, where Phoenix would ultimately get a six-point road win. It was a huge momentum shift, though you might not have known it from Whitcomb’s reaction. The veteran took one deep breath and prepared to defend Minnesota’s final offensive attempt.

Her calm and confidence stem from her preparation. Data tracked from the new Phoenix practice facility revealed she’s taken over 15,000 shots over the course of the 2025 season. That is reportedly 5,000 more shots than the top five NBA players took in their season, which is significantly longer.

Whitcomb is also a phenomenal leader. Oftentimes, she can be seen communicating in the team huddle at key moments in a game.

“Sami is a leader through and through. The pregame speeches, the work that she puts in, the example that she just sets. It’s incredible. It’s amazing for me to see, for me as a younger player, like I just look up to her every single day,” Sabally said.

Her leadership, defense and shooting ability will all be needed if the Mercury plan on extending their season.

“In the course of any season, there are ups and downs. You can call them peaks and valleys if you want. It’s nice to be in a space right now where I feel confident,” Whitcomb said.