Is Sami Whitcomb going to be all right? That is the question that might have been running through the minds of attendees at the Michelob ULTRA Arena as Game 1 between the Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury gets underway. The shooting guard, as WNBA reporter Davion Moore mentioned, played a crucial role in the Phoenix Mercury’s success this season, ranking 8th in the league in 3-pointers made. In fact, Moore was confident enough to say that “Whitcomb knows what it takes to win, and with players like her and DeWanna Bonner coming off the bench, the Mercury can win a championship.” Well, there isn’t going to be much winning if injury troubles keep the player off the court.

With less than 2 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter of Game 1 of the Finals, Sami Whitcomb fell to the court, holding her head and knee while visibly in pain. The same occurred while Whitcomb was attempting to defend below the rim. She was defending quite close to DeWanna Bonner, which led to the duo making contact. While Bonner walked away unfazed, Whitcomb had to be escorted to the locker room while she was hobbling on one leg.

Fortunately, the injury scare did not last for long.. 5 minutes after the official X account of ‘Underdog NBA’ reported that Whitcomb had to be helped to the locker room, it reported that the player had returned to the bench. 3 minutes after that, she was reported to have returned. Talk about an emotional roller coaster.

Sami Whitcomb was able to accumulate 22 minutes on the court. However, she couldn’t make too good use of the opportunity. After all, Whitcomb recorded only 6 points, along with 2 rebounds and 0 assists, by shooting 2-8 (25.0%) field goals, 2-8 (25.0%) 3-pointers, and 0-0 (0%) free throws. Given that the Mercury lost Game 1 by a close margin of 86-89, a more efficient performance could have changed the result of the matchup.

Sami Whitcomb isn’t someone who can be described as ‘injury-prone’. In fact, the last 2 reported injuries that she had before this recent one were back in 2021 and 2023.

Back in 2021, Whitcomb, the then New York Liberty player, was declared out for 10-14 days with an ankle injury. Her absence was felt more during that period, since Whitcomb, then, was the league’s leading 3-point shooter, and had averaged 12.8 points on 48.5% shooting from the field, 44.2% from 3, 5.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals in 25 games with the Liberty at that point. All the stats were reportedly career highs for the player then. The 2023 injury occurred when Whitcomb was representing the Australian professional basketball team, Perth Lynx, and developed a back ailment.

Sami Whitcomb might have been saved for now. However, this recent incident certainly puts the danger of injuries being sustained due to the presence of a long schedule in the postseason. The player herself got less than a week of rest before the intense Semi-Finals against the Minnesota Lynx, before she had to deal with the Aces. Things are set to be worse now, but something that Whitcomb is determined to get through.

Sami Whitcomb Criticized Revised WNBA Finals Structure But Stayed Resilient

The 2025 postseason reportedly moved at a blistering pace. In just a little more than two weeks, the best-of-three first-round series (1-1-1) and best-of-five semifinals (2-2-1) were in the books. Now, the 2025 WNBA Finals between the Aces and Phoenix Mercury marks the first time a Finals series has been expanded to a best-of-seven round.

The new playoff structure has drawn mixed reactions from players and coaches. Sam Whitcomb was amongst them. After the Phoenix Mercury played four games in seven days back in late September, he said, “It’s tough. It’s not ideal, but it is the playoffs. It’s something that should be looked at moving forward. Absolutely. We’re not here to make excuses. We’re here to win.”

Not everyone is remaining downcast about the schedule. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas reportedly said on Thursday that “It’s exciting to be part of the first one. We talk about how a best-of-five is a tough series. … We don’t know what a best-of-seven brings, but nothing changes. We still approach it the same way.”

Well, something has changed. Going forward, the Mercury roster will have to be careful in regards to Sami Whitcomb and ensure she does not push herself to a level that causes her to sustain a major injury.