Hayden Cilley Articles - Page 3

PHOENIX– Being in the WNBA for nine seasons usually comes with its unique history. For sharpshooting Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb, she posted a career-high 36 points on Monday against the Dallas Wings. Her previous career-high? In 2021 with the New York Liberty, where she dropped 30 points It all began in the first quarter […]

When the Phoenix Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, the writing was on the wall when the offseason began. It was also something that general manager Brian Gregory unfortunately knew would happen. Still, as the general manager, he needed to get the best return. After Durant told Phoenix his list of preferred destinations, […]

PHOENIX– After DeWanna Bonner abruptly left the Indiana Fever, the former Phoenix Mercury star will potentially rejoin her former squad, according to Michael Voepel of ESPN. The news comes as a bit of a surprise, considering that Bonner has been out for the past two weeks. She lost her starting spot to Lexie Hull, which […]

The halfway point of the 2025 WNBA season is upon us, and the Phoenix Mercury have made some serious splashes. Everyone has made winning plays, from the Mercury’s death lineup of Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper, and Alyssa Thomas to their rookies. Their 12-6 record is better than anyone could’ve anticipated at this point in the […]

PHOENIX– With the WNBA officially naming the All-Star reserves, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas made the list. However, despite a near-MVP caliber season, she wasn’t named a starter. It made many believe that Thomas was worthy of representing the Mercury as an All-Star game starter. Even though this is her sixth appearance, she feels that […]

As soon as the Phoenix Mercury’s Big 3 returned, the team dealt with a devastating blow ahead of Monday’s game against the Dallas Wings. Both Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper are ruled out with right ankle and right hamstring injuries, respectively. For Sabally, she was spotted during Sunday’s practice with a walking boot on her […]

Thursday was a hectic day for Phoenix Mercury star Satou Sabally. She played against her former team, the Dallas Wings, for the first time back in the College Park Center. Following the game, Sabally said she’s moving on from the Wings after they booed her during the game. However, she mentioned that it was a […]

Following a brief stint with the team, former Phoenix Mercury interim head coach Nikki Blue filed a lawsuit against the team, according to the Associated Press. Blue’s representatives state that she is alleging unequal treatment based on race and gender, unequal pay based on race, and that her employment was terminated in retaliation for complaints […]

As Phoenix Mercury star forward Alyssa Thomas was snubbed from being an All-Star starter, her teammate, and starter Satou Sabally, offered some words of support following Tuesday’s practice. Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally said Alyssa Thomas should have been an All-Star Game starter. “I think she definitely should have been an All-Star starter. I think […]

One of the many highlights of the 2025 WNBA season hasn’t even been what’s happening on the court. For Phoenix Mercury star Satou Sabally, establishing the league’s new collective bargaining agreement is essential. The players opted out of their current deal and are looking to renegotiate ahead of the 2026 season. However, Sabally criticized the […]

The Phoenix Mercury received some mixed news about the upcoming 2025 All-Star Game. While Satou Sabally will be a starter for the Western Conference, fellow forward Alyssa Thomas was snubbed from the list. Despite averaging a league-leading 9.3 assists and having a 10-2 record with her on the floor, it wasn’t enough. Although the voting […]

PHOENIX– After the Phoenix Mercury were in a six-game winning streak, it was eventually snapped on Sunday, courtesy of the Las Vegas Aces. Phoenix fell 84-81 in a tightly contested game that head coach Nate Tibbetts knew would happen. Throughout the winning streak, he emphasized that the team will undergo some adversity. Safe to say […]

A 12-4 start for the Phoenix Mercury is their best since the 2014 season. That year, the franchise secured its third championship, and is hoping for a fourth this season. Much like that 2014 team, selfless play is contributing to wins. When the Mercury achieved history once again against the New York Liberty on Friday, […]

When the No. 10 pick came calling, the Phoenix Suns were up, but saw one player available that they were shocked was still on the board. Khaman Maluach. As a result, the Suns drafted Maluach with the No. 10 overall pick. The former Duke basketball big man was a major proponent of their success this […]

PHOENIX– In a record-setting night for the Phoenix Mercury, it was the second battle between sisters Satou and Nyara Sabally. Both have been exceptional for their respective teams. Satou has been the main piece while players like Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper battled injury. Her tenacity, improved playmaking, and unicorn-like abilities truly show what she’s […]

PHOENIX– When the Phoenix Mercury made franchise history against the Chicago Sky on Saturday, it might’ve been a one-time thing. However, the New York Liberty endured the same fate at the hands of the Mercury. After the Mercury made 17 threes on Saturday, they made 18 on Friday against the reigning WNBA champions. Following Friday’s […]

PHOENIX– On a team full of All-WNBA players and MVP contenders, longtime veteran Sami Whitcomb is one of the main cogs of the Phoenix Mercury’s leadership engine amid an 11-4 start. Her leadership extends beyond the court. The current Australian Women’s National Team captain has had quite the unconventional journey to basketball, much like the […]

The Phoenix Suns have options upon options with less than 24 hours before the NBA Draft. While the draft board might be stacked high with potential prospects, the No. 10 overall pick and potentially Bradley Beal could be off their hands. After the Suns landed the No. 10 pick in the Kevin Durant trade on […]

Is a homecoming on the rise for current disgruntled Indiana Fever forward DeWanna Bonner? It’s certainly a possibility, and according to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, the Atlanta Dream and the Phoenix Mercury are her preferred teams. Why would this be, though? After Bonner signed with the Fever in the offseason, she was set […]

The Kevin Durant era in the Valley of the Sun has come to a close, with the Phoenix Suns trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets on Sunday for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and five second-round picks. The return was impressive, considering Phoenix shot themselves […]

Almost two weeks after the Phoenix Suns hired Jordan Ott, the franchise made a significant move. The Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. As a result, it leaves Bradley Beal in a bit of a limbo. According to John Gambadoro via the Kevin O’Connor Show, he said that the Suns will either trade […]

For the first time in a handful of seasons, the Phoenix Suns finally have a lottery pick. It’s all thanks to the Suns trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, a flurry of second-round picks, and the coveted No. 10 pick. Although the 2025 NBA Draft is full of surprises, […]

There might be no love lost between the Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant. After all, the Suns made a bombshell Durant trade to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green. During the trade deadline, Phoenix put him in a potential trade without Durant knowing. From that moment on, a trade felt imminent, and now on Sunday, […]

When the Phoenix Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, it felt like it was only a matter of time. However, trading a superstar and receiving Jalen Green back is a presents quite the opportunity. It’ll be interesting for the Suns to decide what direction they want to go. After all, they still have […]

An 11-4 start for the Phoenix Mercury has plenty within the organization excited. One of those is returning Mercury star Kahleah Copper. After Copper returned to the Mercury at the beginning of the team’s road trip, she made a pivotal impact. Her athleticism, scoring prowess, and leadership were evident from the jump. As the team […]

The Phoenix Mercury capped off their road trip with a fourth win in four games. In Kahleah Copper’s third game back, she wasn’t the lone star. It was everyone. In the 107-86 win over the Chicago Sky, Copper herself had 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Meanwhile, her Mercury teammates had five more players […]

In an MVP race dominated by Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark, Phoenix Mercury star forward Alyssa Thomas has entered her name into the conversation. When the Mercury made a massive trade for Thomas, the franchise knew they were getting a star. However, she’s completely shifted the dynamics and culture of the franchise. While stars Satou […]

A 3-0 start to a road trip couldn’t have been better. Just ask Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts. Following the 89-81 takedown of the New York Liberty, it was another instance of the depth stepping up to the plate. For instance, rookie guard Monique Akoa Makani led the team with 21 points, and registered […]

Although the Phoenix Mercury celebrated Alyssa Thomas’s return to Connecticut, it was filled with emotion and appreciation for her former club. When Thomas was traded to the Mercury in January, it signaled a new chapter in her career. However, during her introductory press conference, media day, and training camp, her sentiment remained the same. She […]

From the moment Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally joined the Phoenix Mercury, Kahleah Copper was in elite company. Together, the three of them create a death lineup that could take the league by storm. However, Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces marked the first time all three players played together this season. After all, […]

Even though the Phoenix Mercury took down the Dallas Wings on Wednesday, the WNBA didn’t seem to do its due diligence. In a 2:20 video clip on X (formerly Twitter), the league posted a highlight compilation that left Kahleah Copper irate. When we won the game but don’t have a single highlight in the 2:24 recap […]

PHOENIX — Alyssa Thomas’s return to the Phoenix Mercury spoiled Dallas Wings rookie phenom Paige Bueckers’s best game of her WNBA career. The latter posted 35 points and put the Wings on her back. However, the Mercury picked up their seventh win of the season. On the night, Thomas posted a double-double with 11 points […]

SCOTTSDALE — A new head coach in Jordan Ott, a new general manager in Brian Gregory, and a reformed sense of identity pervaded the Phoenix Suns’ Verizon 5G Performance Center on Tuesday. When the Suns hired Ott as the franchise’s next head coach, many questions percolated. One of the main ones was his Michigan State […]

PHOENIX– Days after ESPN released their favorites for the Coach of the Year, Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts had no time for the chatter. “A lot of people weren’t happy when I came to the league last year… We haven’t done s**t. I haven’t done anything… It is what it is.” Mercury coach Nate […]

Players and former head coaches across the league have praised the Phoenix Suns for hiring Jordan Ott as the franchise’s next head coach. One of those was his former head coach, Darvin Ham. The previous Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach was a major proponent in helping develop young players. While Draymond Green praised Ott for joining […]

When the Phoenix Mercury signed Haley Jones, many, including herself, knew it would be short-lived. The contract itself was a hardship contract and was used for injuries. After all, Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, and Natasha Mack were all out. However, when the team released Jones on Sunday, it signaled the beginning of a possible return […]

PHOENIX– Although Satou Sabally made headlines for the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday, she also made headlines for a more positive reason. Her shoes. During Saturday’s game, she debuted her custom shoes. While the kicks themselves were fellow Adidas athlete Donovan Mitchell’s, these shoes were Sabally’s, and then some. For instance, she has the names of […]

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury are currently playing nine games in 18 days, and it has left Satou Sabally in complete shock. As a WNBPA representative, Sabally has been adamant that changes are necessary. After the Mercury have dealt with a flurry of injuries, some of it is attributed to how many games they’ve played […]

PHOENIX– A side-step, step-back three from Lexi Held left the PHX Arena unglued with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter, along with her Phoenix Mercury teammates. They immediately gave chest bumps, high-fives, and the momentum shifted to the Mercury. As a result, the Mercury’s 86-77 victory left Held with 24 points. Although she didn’t remember […]