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final-0330-wild-ending-los-angeles-sparks-vs-washington-mystics-08-28-2026

WILD ENDING: Los Angeles Sparks vs. Washington Mystics (08/28/2026)

5 Things I Like

We are officially hitting a very important stretch of the WNBA season, where regular-season games begin to matter just a bit more with each passing week. Playoff standings are beginning to take some shape, although the middle of the standings are currently an absolute mess. It’s what’s making wins and losses feel like they carry the weight of the world right now. 
Only the Minnesota Lynx managed to clinch a playoff spot this past week, and understandably so &#8211; they’ve been atop the standings for virtually the entire year, and are only becoming harder to topple with Napheesa Collier back on the floor. 
Elsewhere, though, we’re seeing surges at just the right time from one very likely source, and one that’s surprising a lot of fans.
<hr />
<h2>Mystics Just Can’t Lose</h2>
I watched the Mystics contest against the Atlanta Dream last week, where they had managed to go up by double digits at one point in the second half and never looked ready to relinquish that lead. Despite the Dream rostering some of the better bigs in the league between Bri Jones and Angel Reese, the Mystics frontcourt of Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin looks unwavering in their pursuit of a dominant defensive performance as of late. 
Couple that with their consistent output on offense, as well as Sonia Citron’s three-point shooting or Michaela Onyenwere’s career-best shooting, and they’ve looked like an actual threat for playoff teams. They have the second-best defensive rating in the WNBA right now (102.8), are the best rebounding team in the league, and roster some of the youngest talent in the league as we head into a postseason run where health (and age) will matter. 
Washington is riding a 7-game winning streak into Week 12, with major victories over the Dream, Golden State Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces, and the Dallas Wings (twice). It feels like, after a few years of building through the draft and remaining invested in Austin, they’ve finally arrived with this new core.
<hr />
<h2>Aces Creeping Up Standings</h2>
<div id="attachment_268689" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-268689" class="wp-image-268689 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110449.799-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />The Las Vegas Aces huddle up</div>
There is a world where either the Valkyries or Aces can overtake the Lynx in the standings. Minnesota has the toughest remaining schedule between the three contenders according to Tankathon, which measures remaining schedule difficulty based on opponents’ winning percentage. Las Vegas’ remaining SOS is 14th out of 15 teams, while Golden State’s is at 12. 
You never want to count out Las Vegas, specifically, and a great example of that is their recent barnburner of a game against the Indiana Fever this past week. Jackie Young can catch fire at any time, evidenced by her solo run in the second quarter of this game that got her to 15 points at halftime, or A’ja Wilson simply remembering that she’s the league’s reigning MVP before completely dominating the Fever’s bigs in overtime to finish up with 26 points &#8211; eight in the game in overtime. 
Chelsea Gray is obviously the greatest example of the Aces ability to rip a team’s heart out, though. At the end of the fourth quarter, Stephanie Talbot inbounded what looked to be a really bad turnover before Young managed to get possession over the shoulders of an Indiana player. She immediately passed the ball out to an open Gray, who hit a three without hesitation to get Las Vegas into overtime. 
Then, on a shot from Caitlin Clark that Wilson blocked, the Aces managed to push the ball out to Gray for a last-second three-pointer that landed at the buzzer, winning the game for Las Vegas and helping them along in their quest to remain a postseason threat. 
Their season could be best described as “wobbly.” They’re trying to find their footing, but some mental errors in-game, as well as stiffer competition from front courts like that of Washington, or Golden State, or Minnesota, have made it harder to play everything through Wilson. But, they have more than enough talent on their roster to take that burden off of Wilson completely. It’s a matter of remembering that in-game, and in clutch moments like this one that captivated us all.
<hr />
<h2>Early Returns on Two Trades After Deadline</h2>
The two biggest transactions from this year’s trade deadline were the Los Angeles Sparks trading Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury for Monique Akoa Makani and draft compensation, and the Connecticut Sun parting ways with Aneesah Morrow in exchange for the Toronto Tempo’s 2028 second-round pick and the rights to Maria Kliundikova. 
Plum has averaged 17.3 points per game for the Mercury through four games on 40 percent shooting from three and 53.5 percent shooting from the field overall. That’s all while averaging about ten minutes less on the floor than she was with the Sparks, so her efficiency seems to be shining through with her first few games with them. 
Unfortunately, a lingering leg injury seems to be already keeping her limited with Phoenix, but that’s always the best course of action with any calf issue. Plum’s impact has not necessarily led to a winning streak by any means for Phoenix as they look to make a late-season push for a playoff spot, but the jury is still out on how she can meaningfully contribute to their vision to avoid a rebuild. 
As for Morrow, on paper, she addresses one of the Tempo’s most consistent problems this season &#8211; rebounding and paint scoring. In her first three games for Toronto, she’s averaging 10 points per game along with 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and one block through 18.7 minutes per game. Unfortunately, Toronto is on a nine-game losing streak en route to missing out on a playoff appearance. This could open the door to a bit more experimentation with Morrow’s role within their offense, especially when Brittney Sykes returns to the floor.
<hr />
<h2>McBride Asks That We Don’t Forget Her Impact</h2>
<div id="attachment_268690" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-268690" class="wp-image-268690 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/Thumbnail-2026-08-11T110836.916-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />Kayla McBride #21 of the Minnesota Lynx celebrates she scores her tenth three point basket to break the WNBA Record</div>
McBride is a core piece of the Lynx’s top-seeded squad this season, and that’s in major thanks to her consistency as a three-point shooting threat. With Collier back on the floor, she has even more opportunities from long range as Collier’s gravity creates a problem for defenders. 
Against the Dallas Wings this past weekend, McBride really put her three-point shooting on display, breaking a WNBA record for most made threes in a game with 10. 
“It’s crazy. I’ve been in this league for 13 years, and choosing to come back here in the offseason, I didn’t know — we didn’t know what it was going to look like. Moments like this, times like this, you realize you made the right decision,” said McBride after the win. 
McBride is a 13-year veteran and a hopeful key to the beginning of a new dynasty in Minnesota. She’s averaged 18.4 points per game this season &#8211; a career high &#8211; in addition to 3.3 rebounds, and she’s shooting 51.8 percent from three-point range over her last seven games on eight attempts per game. Lights out might not be the best way to describe her offensive output as of late &#8211; more like a blanketing flurry of shooting.
<hr />
<h2>Sky Finding Spark Again</h2>
While their season feels fairly over (although anything can happen in the middle of the current WNBA standings), Chicago seems to be finding itself again thanks to the return of Dijonai Carrington to the floor. Just the past week &#8211; sans a shortened game against the Indiana Fever following a flagrant 2 committed by Carrington &#8211; her two-way play has really shined. Averaging 16.5 minutes per game through six games played, she’s averaged 12.5 points per game along with one steal and 2.5 rebounds. 
Chicago only went 1-2 this past week, but Carrington, Kamilla Cardoso, and Courtney Vandersloot all played solidly in those contests. 
Carrington, a former Defensive Player of the Year candidate with the Connecticut Sun back in 2024 and a solid scorer, could factor in as a key piece to Chicago’s future look, assuming they continue to rebuild themselves through the draft. Between her play and that of rookie Sydney Taylor, they could have the backcourt of their future.

five-things-i-like-week-eleven-2026

Five Things I Like: Week 11

final-0330-wild-ending-minnesota-lynx-vs-los-angeles-sparks-08-06-2026

WILD ENDING: Minnesota Lynx vs. Los Angeles Sparks (08/06/2026)

Uncategorized

There was one loud trade made during what was otherwise a quiet 2026 deadline. Guard Kelsey Plum has landed with the Phoenix Mercury after spending the past 1.5 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Plum, who has been out with an injury since late June, is nearing a return and hoping to help Phoenix make a push during the home stretch of the regular season. Los Angeles has turned its attention to the future, landing Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-rounder.
There are many reasons this deal is intriguing, including the fact that these two teams have essentially traded places in most markets at the BetMGM <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports">online sportsbook</a>. That’s how much of an impact Plum has.
In BetMGM’s updated live win totals, the Mercury now have an over/under of 18.5. There is a -130 price tag on the over, suggesting an implied probability of 56.52% that they will finish with 19-plus victories.
Prior to trading for Plum, Phoenix’s live win total was 17.5 with the under priced at -120. The Mercury entered the year with a preseason over/under of 23.5, but are 11-19 as of this writing.
The Sparks (11-17), meanwhile, have seen their live win total drop from 18.5 to 16.5 since trading away Plum. The current price on the over is -120. Los Angeles began the year with a preseason win total of 25.5.
As for the <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/wnba/wnba-championship-odds-bm23/">WNBA championship odds</a> market, the Mercury’s title price has remained at 350/1 since trading for Plum. That gives them an implied probability of 0.28% after losing in last year’s WNBA Finals.
The Sparks, on the other hand, have gone from +35000 to +100000 to win it all.
Playoff odds aren’t available for either team, though Phoenix would likely have a better chance than Los Angeles following the trade. The Mercury are six games back of the final spot with 14 contests remaining in the regular season.
Visit the BetMGM sportsbook throughout the season for updated WNBA futures, including <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports/basketball-7/betting/usa-9/wnba-402">WNBA Finals odds</a>. You can also view updated <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/latest-sports-betting-promotions-offers-betmgm-2/">sportsbook promos</a>, including a First Bet Offer for eligible new customers.

bet-mgm-august-win-total-market

Mercury, Sparks Swap Places in Win Totals Market After Kelsey Plum Deal

Analysis

The 2026 WNBA Trade Deadline was simultaneously quiet and loud. It was quiet in that few deals were executed across the league, but loud in that an All-Star was traded midseason for only the fourth time in league history.
Let’s dive into the deals that have been completed and how they can impact both the 2026 stretch run and the future of the franchises involved.
<hr />
<h2>Sparks trade Kelsey Plum to Mercury for Monique Akoa Makani and draft compensation (Aug. 2)</h2>
<div id="attachment_267921" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-267921" class="wp-image-267921" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281947509-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281947509-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281947509-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281947509-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281947509-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281947509-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281947509-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Kelsey Plum with Kahleah Copper #2 of the Phoenix Mercury</div>
Phoenix Mercury get:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">G Kelsey Plum</li>
</ul>
Los Angeles Sparks get:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">G Monique Akoa Makani</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">2027 first-round draft pick</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">2028 second-round draft pick</li>
</ul>
The biggest deal of the 2026 Trade Deadline sees All-Star guard Kelsey Plum headed from Los Angeles to Phoenix in exchange for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round draft pick and a 2028 second-round draft pick.
Plum is averaging a career-best 23.9 points per game over 12 games this season, but has not played since June 21 as she has dealt with ankle and lower leg injuries.
She earned her fifth career All-Star nod this season and joins Brittney Sykes (2025, Mystics to Storm), Katie Smith (2005, Lynx to Shock) and Dawn Staley (2005, Sting to Comets) as the only All-Stars ever to be traded midseason in league history. None of the previous three matched Plum’s scoring average the year they were traded.
What this means for the Sparks: Before this season, Plum signed a one-year deal with the Sparks and was set to hit the free agent market again at the end of the season. With reports that she was not planning to re-sign with the Sparks, L.A. found itself with few options: play the season out and risk Plum leaving in free agency while getting nothing in return, or trade her at the deadline and grab assets to help spark a rebuild.
The Sparks had previously been burned by star players leaving in free agency — Candace Parker and Chelsea Gray in 2021 as well as Nneka Ogwumike in 2024. This time, L.A. acted proactively at the deadline to add a young guard in Akoa Makani and a potential lottery pick in what appears to be a stacked 2027 draft class headlined by JuJu Watkins, Madison Booker and Hannah Hidalgo.
With Plum still sidelined due to injury (L.A. went 7-5 with her in the lineup versus 3-12 without her) and the team mired in a six-game skid — dropping them to 11th place, 5.5 games back of the final playoff spot at the time of the deal — the Sparks decided to move the former two-time champ with an eye toward their future.
However, Plum was not the only veteran on the Sparks’ roster. If L.A. commits to a youth movement, will there be more deals to come in the offseason with veterans such as Dearica Hamby and Ariel Atkins (both signed through 2028), Erica Wheeler (signed through 2027) and Ogwumike (a free agent after this season)?
What this means for the Mercury: Phoenix is taking a risk with this move as Plum has indicated that she plans to explore free agency in the offseason. There is a chance that the Mercury gave up a young guard and a lottery pick in the upcoming draft for a 14-game rental on Plum.
At 11-19, the Mercury sit 12th in the WNBA standings, a half-game back of L.A. and six full games back of New York (17-13) for the eighth and final playoff spot. With only 14 games to play, the Mercury would have to catch fire to make a late-season sprint toward the postseason as they hope to avoid becoming the first team since 2008 (also the Mercury) to miss the playoffs a year after appearing in the WNBA Finals.
There’s another way to think about this deal from Phoenix’s perspective — this could be an extended free-agent pitch to Plum. This trade allows her to come to Phoenix and experience their team’s culture, roster, coaching staff, facilities and fanbase firsthand, in hopes that she will want to make The Valley her long-term home.
On the court, Plum should seamlessly complement Phoenix&#8217;s core of Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner. Phoenix can also use Plum’s scoring punch to boost its bottom-third ranked offense, which ranks 11th in scoring (83.5 ppg) and 12th in offensive rating (104.7). 
With a core of veteran players — Bonner in year 17, Thomas in year 13, Copper in year 11 and Plum already in year 9 — the Mercury are in win-now mode. Will they have enough time to make a run at the eight seed and try to make some noise in the playoffs against the league’s top teams? Or will they be able to bring Plum back for another season to make a fresh start at a Finals run in 2027?
Official Releases: <a href="https://mercury.wnba.com/news/phoenix-mercury-acquire-two-time-wnba-champion-and-five-time-all-star-kelsey-plum">Phoenix Mercury</a> | <a href="https://sparks.wnba.com/news/los-angeles-sparks-acquire-monique-akoa-makani-2027-first-round-pick-and-2028-second-round-pick-from-phoenix-mercury">Los Angeles Sparks</a>
<hr />
<h2>Sun trade Aneesah Morrow to Tempo for rights to Maria Kliundikova and draft pick (July 31)</h2>
<div id="attachment_267922" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-267922" class="wp-image-267922" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2273173559-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2273173559-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2273173559-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2273173559-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2273173559-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2273173559-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2273173559-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Aneesah Morrow</div>
Toronto Tempo get: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">F Aneesah Morrow</li>
</ul>
Connecticut Sun get: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Rights to F Maria &#8220;Masha&#8221; Kliundikova</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">2028 second-round draft pick</li>
</ul>
The Tempo and Sun tipped off trade deadline activity on July 31 with a deal sending forward Aneesah Morrow to Toronto for the rights to Maria Kliundikova and a 2028 second-round pick.
In her second season after being selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Morrow has posted career-best numbers while establishing herself as one of the league’s top rebounders. Over 20 games with Connecticut this season, she averaged 8.9 rebounds (including 2.7 offensive boards) in just 23.2 minutes per game.
Kliundikova has not played in the WNBA this season after Toronto selected her in the 2026 Expansion Draft. The former first-round pick (No. 11 overall in 2018) last played for Minnesota in 2025 after beginning her WNBA career with Los Angeles in 2018 and 2019. She brings career averages of 4.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 50.3% shooting over 74 games.
What this means for the Tempo: Toronto boosts its frontline depth while not giving up any assets on its current roster since Kliundikova is not playing in the WNBA this season. 
Beyond adding a talent in Morrow on a rookie-scale contract through 2028 (the final season is a team option), Toronto also directly addresses an immediate need. The Tempo currently rank in the bottom third of the league in every rebounding metric: 11th in offensive rebounding rate (28.8%) and 14th in both defensive (65.3%) and overall rebounding rate (47.2%).
Among players who have appeared in at least 20 games this season, Morrow ranks fifth in offensive rebound percentage (10.3%), first in defensive rebound percentage (28.3%) and second in total rebound percentage (18.6%), trailing only All-Star Angel Reese. No player has been better at cleaning the defensive glass than Morrow, which should immediately help a Tempo team allowing a league-worst 14.6 second-chance points per game.
Morrow’s offensive game has shown flashes — she posted 21 points in each of her final two games with the Sun — but has not been as consistent as her work on the boards. Morrow is averaging 11.6 points per game on 42.1% shooting this season compared to 7.7 points on 37.5% as a rookie. If her offense continues to trend up and she remains a beast on the boards, this deal will only look better for Toronto. 
What this means for the Sun: Connecticut adds a pair of assets in the rights to Kliundikova and a 2028 second-round pick to potentially use in future deals once the franchise completes its transition from Connecticut to Houston following this season.
The move also opens up minutes — Morrow ranked fourth on the team at 23.2 minutes per game — for others to use as the team continues to develop young talent ahead of their relocation.
Official Releases: <a href="https://tempo.wnba.com/news/toronto-tempo-acquire-forward-aneesah-morrow-from-connecticut-sun">Toronto Tempo</a> | <a href="https://sun.wnba.com/news/connecticut-sun-acquire-rights-to-maria-kliundikova-and-2028-second-round-pick">Connecticut Sun</a>

rapid-reactions-trade-deadline-2026

Rapid Reactions: WNBA Trade Deadline 2026

game-highlights-new-york-liberty-vs-phoenix-mercury-8-1-26

Game Highlights: New York Liberty vs. Phoenix Mercury (8/1/26)

top-plays-of-the-day-07-22-2026

Top Plays of the Day, 07/22/2026

final-0330-wild-ending-los-angeles-sparks-vs-phoenix-mercury-07-22-2026

WILD ENDING: Los Angeles Sparks vs. Phoenix Mercury 07/22/2026

final-0330-wild-ending-phoenix-mercury-vs-connecticut-sun-07-19-2026

WILD ENDING: Phoenix Mercury vs. Connecticut Sun (07/19/2026)

final-0330-wild-ending-minnesota-lynx-vs-phoenix-mercury-07-13-2026

WILD ENDING: Minnesota Lynx vs. Phoenix Mercury 07/13/2026

Latest

Monique Akoa Makani

NOTABLE: In her rookie season with Phoenix, was one of three players in 2025 (Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride) and one of five rookies in WNBA history to shoot at least 40% FG, 39% 3PT and 90% FT (min. 25 games played) … Knocked down the second-most three-pointers made (49) by a rookie in Mercury history, trailing only Diana Taurasi (62).
WNBA CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• 2025 WNBA All-Rookie Team selection. • One of five rookies in WNBA history to shoot at least 40% FG, 39% 3PT and 90% FT (min. 25 GP). • Recorded the second-most three-pointers made (49) and fifth-most assists (111) by a rookie in Mercury history.*
WNBA CAREER STOPS
• 2025-present: Phoenix Mercury
WNBA CAREER TRANSACTIONS
• Re-signed with Phoenix on April 15, 2026. • Signed a training camp contract with Phoenix on March 11, 2025.
2025 WNBA SEASON (Phoenix Mercury)
• Appeared in 41 games (40 starts) during her rookie season. • Averaged 7.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 0.8 steals. • Shot 43.0% FG, 39.8% 3PT and 92.7% FT … one of three players in 2025 (Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride) to shoot at least 40% FG, 39% 3PT and 90% FT (min. 25 GP), becoming one of five rookies in WNBA history to accomplish the feat. • Ranked 10th in the WNBA in three-point percentage. • Recorded the second-most three-pointers made (49) by a rookie in Mercury history*. • Recorded the fifth-most assists (111) by a rookie in Mercury history*. • Led the team with eight games of three or more made three-pointers while shooting at least 50% from beyond the arc. • Began her career by making her first 26 free throw attempts, tied for the third-longest streak to begin a WNBA career.
2025 WNBA ROOKIE RANKINGS
• Per Game: First in FT%, third in assists and 3PT%, fourth in 3PM, seventh in FG%, eighth in points and steals. • Totals: Third in assists, fourth in 3PM, tied for sixth in steals and seventh in points.
KEY PERFORMANCES
• May 21-27 — Recorded three or more made three-pointers in four consecutive games, joining Diana Taurasi (2004), Kelsey Mitchell (2018) and Caitlin Clark (2024) as the only rookies in WNBA history* to accomplish the feat … Became the first Mercury rookie to score 10 or more points in at least four consecutive games since Brittney Griner (2013). • June 1 at Las Vegas — Became the first Mercury rookie since Dymond Simon (2012) to record at least 10 points, five rebounds and six assists. • June 19 at New York — Scored a career-high 21 points (8-12 FG) and joined Diana Taurasi as the only Mercury rookies to record at least 20 points and five assists while shooting at least 60% from the field.
2025 WNBA PLAYOFFS
(Phoenix lost to Las Vegas in the WNBA Finals) • Averaged 6.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 0.6 steals in 11 games (all starts). • Recorded the third-most assists (33) by a rookie in a single postseason in WNBA history. • Logged the second-most minutes played (268) by a rookie in a single postseason in WNBA history. • Became the youngest WNBA rookie (24 years, 241 days) to start a Finals game since Ariel Atkins in 2018.
PLAYOFF KEY PERFORMANCES
• Oct. 3, Finals Game 1 at Las Vegas — Became the third rookie in WNBA history to record at least 10 points, two three-pointers and two steals in a Finals game. • Oct. 5, Finals Game 2 at Las Vegas — Became the fourth rookie in WNBA history to record at least seven assists in a Finals game.
SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CAREER (CAMEROON)
• Represented Cameroon at the 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket and the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Qualifiers (held in 2024).
OVERSEAS CAREER
• 2025-26: Tango Bourges Basket (France) • 2022-25: Charnay Basket (France) • 2021-22: Nantes Rezé (France) • 2019-21: Lyon ASVEL Féminin (France) • 2018-19: Union Lyon (France)
OVERSEAS KEY AWARDS/TITLES
• French League Guard of the Year (2025). • All-French League First Team (2025). • French League All-Defensive Team (2025). • French LF2 Champion (2023).
PERSONAL
• Born in Edea, Cameroon, and grew up in Lyon, France. • Has two older brothers and one older sister. • Enjoys meditation, music (singing and dancing), movies and shopping. • Grew up playing soccer before switching to basketball. • Favorite player growing up was Maya Moore.
*Excludes the inaugural 1997 WNBA season.

Monique Akoa Makani was traded from the Phoenix Mercury to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Monique Akoa Makani is temporarily suspended.

Monique Akoa Makani signed a Contract with the Phoenix Mercury.

The Phoenix Mercury extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Monique Akoa Makani.