Early on into the 2024 season, the Phoenix Mercury have been forced to deal with the absence of starting center Brittney Griner. One of the more well-renowned defensive anchors in WNBA history, the loss of Griner due to a fractured toe on her left foot isn’t an easy hurdle to overcome. However, Phoenix has done all it can to mask the loss of its star player, and have started 2-1 on the young season.
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The dawn of a new culture for the Mercury has been one of the key storylines throughout the season. With a roster that is largely revamped from years past, a new culture is in the process of being built by first-year head coach Nate Tibbetts. Tibbetts has stressed the importance of his bench unit, looking to build camaraderie and trust within the second unit.
Tibbetts has also frequently emphasized the importance of culture. With Griner out, he’s been forced to resort to a ‘next woman up’ mentality, something that has positively rubbed off among the rest of the team