With just 15 days until the Phoenix Mercury play their first regular season game of the year, The Next’s Mercury beat reporter Tia Reid joins host Natalie Heavren to chat about the upcoming season. The pair talked about the team’s media day, what’s happened in training camp so far and what excites Tia about the regular season. Tia also breaks down what to look for in the Mercury’s pair of preseason games.
“Becoming Caitlin Clark” is out now!
Howard Megdal’s newest book is here! “Becoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar” captures both the historic nature of Clark’s rise and the critical context over the previous century that helped make it possible, including interviews with Clark, Lisa Bluder (who also wrote the foreword), C. Vivian Stringer, Jan Jensen, Molly Kazmer and many others.
The Phoenix Mercury are embracing a new era under head coach Nate Tibbetts, who brings a positionless, fluid style to a team now without longtime fixtures Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi. The roster overhaul has brought in versatile talent such as Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and Sami Whitcomb, positioning Phoenix to fully commit to a more dynamic system. “Everyone is already on board with this idea of a more positionless kind of system,” Tia noted, highlighting a shift toward flexibility and movement that wasn’t entirely possible in past seasons.
Off the court, the vibes around the team are upbeat and fresh, bolstered by their state-of-the-art training facility — the Mountain America Performance Center — which has impressed newcomers and veterans alike. Media day and early training camp were filled with “first day of school energy,” with players laughing, cheering each other on and settling in. With open roster spots and intense competition — particularly in the backcourt and frontcourt — the team’s cohesion and environment could prove to be a key advantage heading into the season.