Alyssa Thomas expected to return to Phoenix Mercury to compete for WNBA title

Alyssa Thomas fell just short of winning the first WNBA championship of her career in her first season with the Phoenix Mercury, but Thomas is ready to run it back with coach Nate Tibbetts & Co.

A person familiar with the negotiations told USA TODAY Sports the 33-year-old who led the WNBA in assists last season is working on a contract to remain with the Mercury. Like many star players this offseason, Thomas had been an unrestricted free agent.

Thomas was acquired by the Mercury in a four-team trade in February 2025 following 11 seasons in Connecticut, where she led the Sun to eight consecutive playoff appearances and two WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022. The six-time All-Star told USA TODAY Sports last year she "gave everything I had to Connecticut" and ultimately decided to depart in hopes of winning a title.

"I felt that coming to Phoenix was a new start in an organization that's known for winning championships," Thomas said in September. "Offensively, I felt like it was just a perfect fit for me... I want to win a championship."

Alyssa Thomas will return to the Mercury in hopes of winning a title.

Thomas' first season in Phoenix resulted in her most efficient season to date. She finished third in MVP voting last season after averaging a near triple double, with 15.4 points, a league-high 9.2 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 53.2% from the field. Thomas' 357 assists passed Caitlin Clark's league-wide single-season assist record (337) set in 2024. She also set a franchise single-season rebounding record (340).

For the fourth time in her career, Thomas made the All-WNBA team. The versatile Maryland product ranks 12th all-time in rebounds in the WNBA and seventh in assists. She had a WNBA record eight triple-doubles last season and is the WNBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles with 19 in her 12-year career.

Thomas is also a seven-time All-Defense selection and helped Team USA win gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. While playing for Brenda Frese at Maryland, she became one of three players to win the ACC Player of the Year award three times, a group that includes Duke’s Alana Beard and Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley.

With Thomas leading the way as a hybrid point-forward, the Mercury returned to the WNBA Finals last season for the first time since 2021 under second-year coach Tibbetts. Despite the play of Thomas, Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally, Phoenix wasn't able to win a game in the championship series and was swept by A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces. Following the Mercury's Game 4 loss, Thomas was looking ahead to next season.

"It's been a great season. No one expected us to even be here," Thomas said in October. "Of course, it didn't go the way that we wanted to end, but we have a lot to build on."

However, one key piece of the Mercury's Big 3 won't be returning. Sabally confirmed she won't re-sign with the Mercury through an Instagram post on Wednesday, writing, "My best year yet. Thank you, Phoenix." Copper is also an unrestricted free agent.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alyssa Thomas expected to return to Phoenix Mercury amid WNBA free agency