Phoenix Mercury owner Mat Ishbia is in hot water after two minority owners of the Phoenix Suns, which he also owns, recently sued him for alleged conflicts of interest and withheld information, among other violations.
In response, Ishbia maintained that he remains committed to helping the Mercury and the Suns “win championships, ensure a positive team culture, create a lasting impact on the greater Phoenix community, and improve the fan experience,” as reported by ESPN's Baxter Holmes.
Meanwhile, Holmes' colleague, Kendra Andrews, wrote a feature about the Mercury after clinching a spot in the playoffs. She highlighted how the strong play of Alyssa Thomas, the leadership of Kahleah Copper, and the addition of Satou Sabally have helped push Phoenix to the upper tier of the WNBA.
Amid his legal case, Ishbia expressed his gratitude to Andrews, stressing the good virtues espoused by his ownership.
“Thank you @kendra__andrews for an insightful article about the @PhoenixMercury. Building a great team and organization takes alignment on vision, execution, and teamwork. Love seeing us execute this with the Mercury, and we will do the same with the @Suns!” wrote Ishbia on X.
The 45-year-old mortgage mogul bought the Suns and the Mercury for $4 billion in 2022 from embattled owner Robert Sarver, who was forced to step down due to issues of misogyny, racism, and other workplace misconduct.
The Mercury claimed their sixth straight win on Thursday after beating the Washington Mystics, 75-69. They improved to 27-14 and moved into a tie with the Atlanta Dream for second place in the team standings.
Thomas almost had another triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists to lead Phoenix. She is one of the frontrunners for the MVP trophy.
Copper added 18 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks, while Sabally chipped in 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
The last thing the Mercury need right now is to get distracted by the legal battle of Ishbia.
They are back in the playoffs after missing out last season. They are looking for their first title since 2014.
