The Phoenix Mercury front office definitely did its thing this offseason. Much like their NBA sibling, the Suns, the Mercury flipped the switch and ushered in a whole new Diana Taurasi-less era with a shiny new ‘Big 3’ featuring Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, and Kahleah Copper. A fresh squad and sky-high expectations. Coach Nate Tibbetts says that the best part is “they’ve figured it out.” Well, the first two preseason games didn’t exactly scream that.

Everyone is aware that the Sabally trade was a big splash. It was a three-team deal between the Mercury, the Wings, and the Fever. And Phoenix didn’t just land Sabally—they also scooped up 6’7 Kalani Brown and guard Sevgi Uzun from Dallas. Brown, by the way, might be a sneaky-good pickup. She brings some much-needed height after Brittney Griner packed her bags for Atlanta.

But of course, Sabally was the crown jewel. She’s coming off a season where she averaged 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5 assists in just 15 games with Dallas and was the face of the franchise. She sat out early with a shoulder injury and then came back post-Olympics. Now, the 2020 No. 2 pick is playing for a new franchise in her sixth year. 

In their first preseason matchup, the Mercury fell to the Aces, 85-84. Rookie Deja Kelly sealed the Aces’ victory with a game-winning, mid-range jumper with 4.9 seconds left. Despite the loss, Satou looked pretty solid. She dropped 14 points and grabbed 5 boards in just 15 minutes. But then came Sunday. 

The Mercury played the new team on the block, the Golden State Valkyries, and things got real messy. Phoenix shot just 40.6% from the field and gave up 18 turnovers, which the Valkyries happily turned into 32 points. After leading by 15, Phoenix let Valkyries guard Migna Toure go off and watched the game slip away during a brutal 22-7 run in the third quarter.

Then, neither Sally nor Thomas even saw the court in the fourth. But what really had people talking, though, were Sabally’s fouls. She finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists, but also racked up five fouls. In just three quarters. One more and she would’ve been out. 

And this wasn’t a one-time thing. In the last game, three fouls in just 15 minutes. Fans are already side-eyeing her play, and they’re not being quiet about it online.

Fans throw shade at Satou Sabally

One fan kicked things off with, “Satou be committing the dumbest fouls lmaoo. That’s her biggest downfall.” Sabally picked up two personal fouls within minutes in the third quarter. And this ain’t new. Back in the 2019 NCAA Final Four, she racked up four fouls, which left her stuck at just 22 minutes in a massive game against Baylor. 

Fast forward to the 2023 WNBA season, and she had 135 fouls over 38 games. Even last year, with only 15 games under her belt, she had 48 fouls. The good part is her fouls-per-game average has never crossed 3.6. Then another fan came in like, “It’s tough with her in FIBA ball since you only get 5 😭 Nice WNBA gets her an extra.” Sabally hasn’t played in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, but under FIBA rules, five fouls and you’re done. So if foul trouble’s her thing, international games could be a headache for everyone involved. The convo didn’t stop there.

“She plays rushed and her defense 😩🕊️,” someone else chimed in. Sabally’s physical game on offense is great, sure, but that aggressive energy sometimes backfires, especially under pressure. She’s been known to rush things, leading to turnovers, like in this game. And that tendency’s cost her before. Remember last year’s nail-biter vs. the Fever? With just 14.6 seconds left, she fouled Caitlin Clark, who went and sank both free throws to seal the game. 

Then in the playoffs against the Dream, things got heated again. Multiple physical run-ins that didn’t necessarily count as fouls, but they definitely threw off her and the team’s rhythm. And as if the takes weren’t already flying, someone else threw, “How is everyone praising the ‘Unicorn’ Satou Sabally but she’s a worse defender than CC… how is she a unicorn?” Sabally gets her “Unicorn” title thanks to her versatility, she can knock down outside shots and bang in the paint, all while standing 6’4. But while Clark’s defense gets picked apart, she still averaged 1.3 steals per game and had a massive workload. Yes, she also had 223 turnovers across 40 games, which is no small number. 

But fans argue if Clark’s getting grilled, Sabally should be too. Still, let’s not forget what another fan kindly reminded everyone, “They have an excellent top 3: Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas.” Facts. Phoenix might’ve stumbled in this game, but this trio’s still a force. After 11 seasons with Connecticut, Alyssa Thomas brings all that Finals and playoff grind with her. Then there’s Copper, who’s already got that Phoenix familiarity from last season. Add Sabally to the mix, and you’ve got three solid scorers who could really make this work. 

Preseason rust or not, this team’s got potential. With five days off before their regular season opener against Skylar Diggins and the Seattle Storm… we’re all watching to see how it unfolds.