Hayden Cilley Articles - Page 5

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 […]

Eight coaches in 11 seasons isn’t a welcome sight for anyone within the Phoenix Suns. However, when the Suns hired Jordan Ott to be the franchise’s next head coach, they’re hoping to get this one right. Throughout the hiring process, the organization interviewed upwards of 15 candidates for the position. Funny enough, fellow Cleveland Cavaliers assistant […]

Injuries, players leaving for Eurobasket, and a myriad of other things have Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts’s head on a swivel. As a result, he’s looked to players like Haley Jones, Megan McConnell, and Murjanatu Musa for support. Tibbetts was brutally honest about the challenge of integrating new players immediately into the teams. Phoenix […]

The Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker are in a world of uncertainty about their future. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks have indicated they will draft Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. However, what if they don’t draft him? What if Dallas trades Flagg for a win-now player? This is […]

An 18-point comeback showcased the Phoenix Mercury’s grit, tenacity, and defensive approach. As the Mercury missed Alyssa Thomas and two other starters, one element remained for Kathryn Westbeld, Satou Sabally, and head coach Nate Tibbetts. “Defense. The answer is always defense,” Sabally said postgame. “With that, I think the first half, we weren’t ourselves in any […]

With Alyssa Thomas being on the injury report and not being on the Phoenix Mercury’s two-game road trip, the team signed former Atlanta Dream first-round pick Haley Jones to a hardship contract. Jones was previously with the Dream. She was in all 40 games and had 24 starts. In those games, she averaged 3.9 points, […]

PHOENIX– The Minnesota Lynx were nearly tamed by the Phoenix Mercury on Friday in a hectic finish. Thanks to Kalani Brown and Sami Whitcomb, Phoenix was in the game for a full 40 minutes against the league’s only undefeated team. The 74-71 loss was indicative of how close the game was and how valuable the […]

When Diana Taurasi retired from the Phoenix Mercury, she left behind an illustrious legacy. It was one that Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve played a smart part in. For starters, the duo were a part of the 2024 USA Women’s National Team in Paris. That team convincingly won a gold medal, despite Taurasi not […]

PHOENIX– The last two Phoenix Mercury games have resulted in two wins, but neither head coach Nate Tibbetts nor star forward Satou Sabally seems pleased. Although Tibbetts was nervous about the Mercury’s start to the season, those nerves have been tossed to the wayside. As a result, he’s shifted his focus to what the star […]

PHOENIX– Even though the Phoenix Mercury are 4-1 to start the season, it wasn’t what head coach Nate Tibbetts expected when Kahleah Copper went down with an injury. Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts confessed going into the first game he was worried how the Mercury would create offense without Kahleah Copper, but he said he’s […]

Five games in, and Alyssa Thomas is already making history for the Phoenix Mercury. After Thomas was traded to the Mercury, she made it clear that there’s one goal in mind: a championship. In the process of doing so, she’s likely to make history, and that’s exactly what she did against the Chicago Sky on […]

The WNBA’s investigation into the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky was left as unsubstantiated. The investigation involved acts of racism portrayed at the Fever’s game against the Sky during the season opener. However, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas was not pleased with the outcome. As someone who endured the ruthless words of WNBA fans last […]

Does defense win championships? Perhaps Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts feels that way. However, defense helped the Phoenix Mercury take care of business against the Washington Mystics on Sunday. It was a brutal game from both sides. After all, the Mystics made head-shaking WNBA history with 30 turnovers (18 in the first half), while the […]

PHOENIX– Opportunities come in all forms for WNBA players. For rookie Monique Akoa Makani, she’s been thrown into the fire. After the Mercury had two injury updates to open the season, Makani has been the starting point guard. During that time, she was tasked with guarding Skylar Diggins and Kelsey Plum. Both of those guards […]

The foul-baiting with Oklahoma City Thunder MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a major topic of discussion. However, Richard Jefferson had some interesting words about the MVP. On the Road Trippin Podcast, the former NBA guard detailed what Gilgeous-Alexander said when the team was fighting for a play-in spot. “Shai said, ‘2 years ago, I averaged […]

Following Game 1, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards had an NSFW message for himself. However, teammate and veteran Mike Conley echoed that same sentiment to reporters before Game 2. “He always comes in the next day angry… You can tell he’s kinda no nonsense with a lot of things,” Conley said via Dane Moore. “He’s […]