Former Liberty Guard Breaks Out for Mercury

Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts praised the efforts of Whitcomb after the game, equally impressed with her off-ball work in screening, contributing to Phoenix's overwhelming physicality that led to the franchise's first playoff advancement since its 2021 Finals run overseen by current Liberty boss Sandy Brondello.

"Sami, when you have someone that's willing to screen as a shooter, it really helps," Tibbetts said. "But it also has to do with the passing right and the people coming off the cuts. So we had some really good reads in the second half for sure."

Fully engaged in its post-Diana Taurasi era, Phoenix has re-upped with talent from abroad, adding Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas to play with incumbent import Kahleah Copper. Whitcomb's second unit welcomed in Sixth Woman of the Year vote mainstays DeWanna Bonner after things didn't work out for in Indiana.

Whitcomb, who helped the Liberty get off to a solid start in its Brooklyn era at the top of the decade, has continued to rise up, as she and Bonner give the Mercury bench its own trophy case: in addition to the two WNBA rings on her fingers and the Olympic bronze medal around her neck (earned with Brondello's Australian national squad last year in Paris), Whitcomb recently earned a WNBL title in Australia, getting MVP honors for both the season and the championship series.

Having dragged New York out of its new-century rut, Whitcomb is doing the same for the Mercury as it seeks its own resurrection.

“She’s self-made. Her work ethic is second to none,” Tibbetts said of Whitcomb in July, per Dorian Waller of Cronkite News. “She’s been everything we hoped for and more: her professionalism and her approach. I’m just really glad I’ve gotten the opportunity to coach someone like her. She’s special.”