5-Time All-Star Makes WNBA History on Tuesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dave Holcomb | Last updated May 27, 2025 11:47 PM ET

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas needed just one assist to make history Tuesday night against the Chicago Sky. Thomas registered that early in the first quarter.

The forward recorded her first assist Tuesday fewer than two minutes into the contest. With the assist, Thomas moved into 12th place on the WNBA's all-time assists list.

Thomas broke a tie with Hall of Fame forward Tamika Catchings, who recorded 1,488 assists in 16 WNBA seasons.

The Mercury official X account posted a tweet to celebrate Thomas' accomplishment.

"Vision has always been 20/20," the team wrote with an eye emoji. "With her first assist tonight, Alyssa Thomas moves into 12th all-time in WNBA assists."

Next on the assists list for Thomas is New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud. Thomas entered Tuesday's action 56 assists behind Cloud, but the Liberty guard is still active.

After three contests this season, Cloud is averaging 7.7 assists per game in 2025.

Vision has always been 20/20

With her first assist tonight, Alyssa Thomas moves into 12th All-Time in WNBA Assists!

10. Skylar Diggins (1,545)
11. Natasha Cloud (1,544)
12. Alyssa Thomas (1,489)
13. Tamika Catchings (1,488)
14. Danielle Robinson (1,479) pic.twitter.com/uEOtvyi8Wp
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) May 28, 2025

Thomas has greatly improved as a passer since she made her WNBA debut in 2014. In her first season, she averaged 1.5 assists per game.

Over her first eight years in the WNBA, Thomas never averaged more than five assists per game in a single season.

But over the last four years, Thomas has posted at least six assists per game every season. Each of the past two years, she's averaged 7.9 assists per contest.

Thomas made her first WNBA All-Star team in 2017. She was an All-Star again in 2019. Behind her increasing assist totals, though, Thomas has made the All-Star team each of the past three seasons.

In addition to 7.9 assists, she averaged 10.6 assists and 8.4 rebounds per game during 2024.

Thomas is in her first season with the Mercury. She accumulated 1,462 assists in 11 seasons with the Connecticut Sun to begin her WNBA career.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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