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The Phoenix Mercury's Big 3 are the talk of the 2025 WNBA season. However, some of their other signings could carry more weight and value. When the Mercury signed Sami Whitcomb, that was the epitome of an under-the-radar move.
The Australian sniper brings that championship experience. Even though she has two WNBA titles to her resume, she hasn't been the No. 1 option on her respective WNBA teams. The same is likely the case in 2025.
While Whitcomb is playing off of Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper, and Alyssa Thomas, it doesn't bother her not being the top option. When she first entered the league in 2017, though, it might've been a different story.
I asked Sami Whitcomb if having a bigger role in the WNBL makes it difficult to adjust to a smaller role in the WNBA.
“Yes and no. Obviously, I’m not gonna be the No. 1 option, but I do think I have to act like that when I have the ball so teams respect me.” pic.twitter.com/Ez271dCLl0
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) April 30, 2025
“I think earlier in my career, it was difficult to try to be that player overseas and then come back here and sort of play a much smaller role,” Whitcomb said on Wednesday. “I think the style that we want to play here, the way that we want to play.
“The way that everyone's such an important sort of option in the offense, it helps. I'm coming off a season where I was, offensively, a threat, and I had some success in that. So, I think it's going to just help our big three be great.”
Whitcomb isn't kidding around. After signing with the Mercury, she raked in the accolades. She won the 2024-25 WNBL MVP and as she said, the No. 1 option.
Funny enough, Whitcomb was the captain of the Australian Women's National Team in the 2024 Summer Olympics. They secured a bronze medal and averaged 13 points per game during that stretch.
Sami Whitcomb is ready for a lesser role with Mercury
Not many players can have the humility Whitcomb has. Despite the international success, she understands that the WNBA game is different.
Stylistically, it is different. There are stars, and teams are ran through one, two, or in Phoenix's case, three players. It leaves an uncertain role for the remaining players on the roster.
However, Whitcomb doesn't believe that to be the case. She thinks that the best teams are ones where everyone knows their role.
“You need support,” Whitcomb said. “The years that I've been on successful WNBA teams, we've had 8, 9, 10 deep. We went deep. Everybody was incredibly important, everybody had to come on and be a threat. Everybody had to come on and be that player.
“Obviously, you figure it out as you go throughout the season in big moments. Who's gonna take those big shots? They need me to be the player that I am overseas to help take the attention off of them.”
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Two of those teams were the 2018 and 2020 Seattle Storm. Those teams were loaded with future Hall of Famers. Simultaneously, they were filled with elite role players.
Alysha Clark, Natasha Howard, Jordin Canada, and Epiphany Prince are only some of the names on those Seattle teams. As Whitcomb said, having eight, nine, or ten players deep is essential.
Those players went on to be top options for other teams following their time with Seattle. The same could transpire within the Mercury.
Sami Whitcomb could have the biggest role of her career
Although her words hold true, Whitcomb hasn't played off of three stars like this before. Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird are sure-fire Hall of Famers.
Still, it's rare to play with three superstars in their respective primes.
With the Mercury's positionless basketball, Whitcomb could have a potential breakout, despite being in the league for nine seasons.
“If there are opportunities for me to be aggressive and to draw the defense to help them, I think that's important,” Whitcomb said.
“So yes and no. Like obviously, I'm not going to be the number one option. But I do think I have to act like that when I have the ball so that teams respect me.”
The challenge of defending the Mercury Big 3 could leave Whitcomb as open as she has ever been. As one of the league's premier 3-point weapons, it wouldn't be surprising to see a career year from her.
