2022 Phoenix Mercury season explained

The 2022 WNBA season was the 25th season for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season began on May 6, 2022, against the Las Vegas Aces^[1] and ended in the 1st round of the WNBA Playoffs against the same team. The season was marred by a number of issues, including injuries and the absence of Brittney Griner, who was detained in Russia on drug charges.

On December 6, 2021, the Mercury announced that they would not be renewing Sandy Brondello's contract and parted ways with her as Head coach.^[2] On January 24, 2022, the Mercury announced that Vanessa Nygaard had been hired as Brondello's replacement.^[3]

The Mercury got off to a quick start to the season, winning two of their first three games. However, that momentum did not last as they then went on a seven game losing streak. They ended May 2–7. They were able to end their losing streak in June and win four of their first six games that month. However, they lost three and won three of their final six to end the month 7–5. July was another up and down month as the team struggled to build momentum and couldn't build a streak. They finished the month 4–5. Diana Taurasi suffered a quad strain during their game against the Connecticut Sun on August 2. The Mercury announced that she would miss the rest of the regular season with the injury.^[4] On August 11, 2022, the Mercury announced that Skylar Diggins-Smith would miss the final 3 games of the season for personal reasons.^[5] Despite injuries to two of their prominent players, the Mercury entered the final day of the season with a chance at qualifying for the playoffs. Despite a final day loss and a 2–4 August record, the Mercury finished in eighth place in the standings and qualified for the final playoff spot.

The Mercury faced first seed Las Vegas in First Round of the playoffs. The first two games of the series were in Las Vegas and the Mercury lost both games, preventing the series from returning to Phoenix. Neither game was close with the Mercury losing by sixteen points in Game One and thirty-seven points in Game Two.

Transactions

WNBA draft

See also: 2022 WNBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Nationality	School/team/country
3	26	Maya Dodson		Notre Dame
3	32	Macee Williams		IUPUI

Trades and Roster Changes

Date	Transaction
December 6, 2021	Parted Ways with Head coach Sandy Brondello
January 11, 2022	Extended a Qualifying Offer to Shey Peddy[6]
January 13, 2022	Sign Shey Peddy to a Qualifying Offer [7]
	Waived Megan Walker[8]
	Extended a Qualifying Offer to Kia Nurse[9]
January 24, 2022	Hired Vanessa Nygaard as Head coach[10]
January 31, 2022	Traded Kia Vaughn to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for a 2023 Third Round Pick[11]
February 1, 2022	Re-Signed Sophie Cunningham to a One-Year Deal[12] [13]
February 3, 2022	Traded Bria Hartley, the 20th Pick in the 2022 WNBA draft, and a 2nd Round Pick in 2023 to the Indiana Fever, as well as a 1st Round Pick in 2023 to the Chicago Sky in exchange for Diamond DeShields from Chicago[14]
	Signed Jennie Simms to a training-camp contract[15]
February 4, 2022	Signed Tina Charles to a One-Year Deal[16]
February 5, 2022	Signed Kia Nurse to One-Year Deal[17]
February 13, 2022	Signed Leaonna Odom to a training-camp contract[18]
March 1, 2022	Signed Kiana Williams to a training-camp contract[19]
March 2, 2022	Hired Crystal Robinson as an assistant coach[20]
March 10, 2022	Signed Kristine Anigwe to a training-camp contract
March 31, 2022	Hired Nikki Blue and Cinnamon Lister as Assistant Coaches[21]
April 12, 2022	Signed Sam Thomas to a training-camp contract
April 13, 2022	Signed Maya Dodson and Macee Williams to rookie-scale contracts
	Signed Mael Gilles and Vivian Gray to training-camp contracts
April 16, 2022	Signed Emma Cannon to a training-camp contract[22]
April 21, 2022	Waived Macee Williams
April 30, 2022	Waived Mael Gilles [23]
May 3, 2022	Waived Emma Cannon, Kiana Williams, Jennie Simms, and Vivian Gray
May 4, 2022	Signed Megan Gustafson to a training-camp contract
May 5, 2022	Temporarily Suspend Brianna Turner and Diamond DeShields due to Overseas Commitments
	Waived Maya Dodson and Leaonna Odom
May 6, 2022	Signed Emma Cannon and Jennie Simms to Hardship Contracts[24]
May 10, 2022	Activated Brianna Turner and Diamond DeShields from their Temporary Suspensions
	Released Emma Cannon and Jennie Simms from their Hardship Contracts
May 14, 2022	Signed Brianna Turner to a Contract Extension
May 25, 2022	Signed Karlie Samuelson to a Hardship Contract[25]
May 30, 2022	Released Karlie Samuelson from her Hardship Contract
June 9, 2022	Signed Jennie Simms to a Hardship Contract[26]
June 23, 2022	Released Jennie Simms from her Hardship Contract
June 24, 2022	Waived Kristine Anigwe
June 25, 2022	Waived Tina Charles[27]
June 28, 2022	Signed Reshanda Gray and Jennie Simms to 7-day contracts[28]
July 4, 2022	Signed Reshanda Gray and Jennie Simms to their 2nd 7-day contracts
July 11, 2022	Signed Reshanda Gray and Jennie Simms to their 3rd 7-day contracts
July 18, 2022	Signed Reshanda Gray
	Signed Jennie Simms to a Hardship Contract
July 21, 2022	Signed Kaela Davis to a 7-Day Hardship Contract[29]
July 29, 2022	Signed Kaela Davis to a 2nd 7-Day Hardship Contract
August 8, 2022	Signed Yvonne Turner to a Hardship Contract[30]
August 10, 2022	Temporarily Suspend Skylar Diggins-Smith
August 11, 2022	Signed Kaela Davis to a Hardship Contract

Roster

Depth

Pos.	Starter	Bench
	C	Brianna Turner	Reshanda Gray Brittney Griner (inactive)
	PF	Sophie Cunningham	Megan Gustafson
	SF	Diana Taurasi	Diamond DeShields Sam Thomas
	SG	Shey Peddy	Jennie Simms Kia Nurse
	PG	Skylar Diggins-Smith (inactive)

Schedule

Preseason

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| April 28| Seattle| L 78–82| Tina Charles (16)| Kristine Anigwe (8)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (8)| Footprint Center
2,759| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| April 30| @ Los Angeles| L 84–87| Kiana Williams (25)| Kristine Anigwe (11)| Cannon
Simms (3)| Matadome
N/A| 0–2

Regular Season

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| May 6| Las Vegas| L 88–106| Skylar Diggins-Smith (25)| Taurasi
Simms (4)| Diana Taurasi (9)| Footprint Center
7,167| 0–1|- style="background:#cfc;"| 2| May 11| Seattle| W 97–77| Tina Charles (22)| Tina Charles (11)| Diggins-Smith
Peddy (6)| Footprint Center
6,098| 1–1|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3| May 14| @ Seattle| W 69–64| Diana Taurasi (24)| Brianna Turner (14)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (5)| Climate Pledge Arena
12,453| 2–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 4| May 17| @ Las Vegas| L 74–86| Tina Charles (17)| Tina Charles (9)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (6)| Michelob Ultra Arena
2,536| 2–2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 5| May 19| Dallas| L 84–94| Diamond DeShields (22)| Tina Charles (11)| Shey Peddy (5)| Footprint Center
6,151| 2–3|- style="background:#fcc;"| 6| May 21| @ Las Vegas| L 80–100| Diamond DeShields (19)| Brianna Turner (8)| Diana Taurasi (7)| Michelob Ultra Arena
5,572| 2–4|- style="background:#fcc;"| 7| May 25| @ Los Angeles| L 94–99| Skylar Diggins-Smith (28)| Tina Charles (7)| Diamond DeShields (9)| Crypto.com Arena
4,020| 2–5|- style="background:#fcc;"| 8| May 29| @ Atlanta| L 54–81| Diamond DeShields (23)| Brianna Turner (8)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (5)| Gateway Center Arena
3,138| 2–6|- style="background:#fcc;"| 9| May 31| @ Chicago| L 70–73| Tina Charles (25)| Brianna Turner (9)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (8)| Wintrust Arena
5,133| 2–7|-|- style="background:#fcc;"| 10| June 3| Connecticut| L 88–92| Diana Taurasi (32)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (6)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (6)| Footprint Center
7,180| 2–8|- style="background:#cfc;"| 11| June 5| Los Angeles| W 81–74| Skylar Diggins-Smith (29)| Brianna Turner (9)| Diana Taurasi (7)| Footprint Center
10,151| 3–8|- style="background:#cfc;"| 12| June 10| Atlanta| W 90–88| Diana Taurasi (23)| Brianna Turner (13)| Diana Taurasi (6)| Footprint Center
7,650| 4–8|- style="background:#cfc;"| 13| June 12| @ Washington| W 99–90 (OT)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (27)| Brianna Turner (10)| Diana Taurasi (7)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 5–8|- style="background:#fcc;"| 14| June 14| @ Washington| L 65–83| Diamond DeShields (21)| Diamond DeShields (8)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (8)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
3,088| 5–9|- style="background:#cfc;"| 15| June 15| @ Indiana| W 93–80| Tina Charles (29)| Brianna Turner (10)| Shey Peddy (7)| Indiana Farmers Coliseum
1,824| 6–9|- style="background:#fcc;"| 16| June 17| @ Dallas| L 88–93| Tina Charles (27)| Tina Charles (9)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (10)| College Park Center
3,140| 6–10|- style="background:#fcc;"| 17| June 21| Minnesota| L 71–84| Skylar Diggins-Smith (25)| Tina Charles (7)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (6)| Footprint Center
6,394| 6–11|- style="background:#fcc;"| 18| June 23| @ Minnesota| L 88–100| Tina Charles (26)| Brianna Turner (8)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (5)| Target Center
8,004| 6–12|- style="background:#cfc;"| 19| June 25| @ Dallas| W 83–72| Skylar Diggins-Smith (26)| Diamond DeShields (10)| Shey Peddy (6)| College Park Center
4,240| 7–12|- style="background:#cfc;"| 20| June 27| Indiana| W 83–71| Diana Taurasi (27)| Brianna Turner (8)| Shey Peddy (5)| Footprint Center
5,044| 8–12|- style="background:#cfc;"| 21| June 29| Indiana| W 99–78| Skylar Diggins-Smith (17)| Brianna Turner (11)| Diggins-Smith
Taurasi (7)| Footprint Center
5,833| 9–12|-|- style="background:#fcc;"| 22| July 2| @ Chicago| L 75–91| Skylar Diggins-Smith (25)| Diamond DeShields (9)| Shey Peddy (6)| Wintrust Arena
8,028| 9–13|- style="background:#fcc;"| 23| July 4| @ Los Angeles| L 75–78| Skylar Diggins-Smith (22)| Cunningham
Peddy (6)| Diana Taurasi (6)| Crypto.com Arena
3,340| 9–14|- style="background:#cfc;"| 24| July 7| New York| W 84–81| Cunningham
Taurasi (23)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (7)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (9)| Footprint Center
6,158| 10–14|- style="background:#fcc;"| 25| July 12| @ Minnesota| L 107–118 (2OT)| Sophie Cunningham (36)| Shey Peddy (10)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (10)| Target Center
6,503| 10–15|- style="background:#cfc;"| 26| July 14| Washington| W 80–75| Skylar Diggins-Smith (29)| Cunningham
Taurasi (7)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (9)| Footprint Center
5,994| 11–15|- style="background:#fcc;"| 27| July 17| Atlanta| L 75–85| Diana Taurasi (23)| Sophie Cunningham (9)| Shey Peddy (5)| Footprint Center
7,963| 11–16|- style="background:#cfc;"| 28| July 22| Seattle| W 94–78| Skylar Diggins-Smith (35)| Peddy
Taurasi (7)| Diana Taurasi (7)| Footprint Center
14,162| 12–16|- style="background:#cfc;"| 29| July 28| Los Angeles| W 90–80| Diana Taurasi (30)| Brianna Turner (7)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (6)| Footprint Center
8,124| 13–16|- style="background:#fcc;"| 30| July 31| @ New York| L 69–89| Sophie Cunningham (21)| Shey Peddy (12)| Skylar Diggins-Smith (11)| Barclays Center
6,433| 13–17|-|- style="background:#fcc;"| 31| August 2| @ Connecticut| L 63–87| Cunningham
Diggins-Smith (15)| Brianna Turner (6)| Diggins-Smith
Peddy (4)| Mohegan Sun Arena
6,130| 13–18|- style="background:#fcc;"| 32| August 4| @ Connecticut| L 64–77| Skylar Diggins-Smith (16)| Brianna Turner (12)| Brianna Turner (7)| Mohegan Sun Arena
6,215| 13–19|- style="background:#cfc;"| 33| August 6| New York| W 76–62| Diamond DeShields (25)| Cunningham
DeShields
Simms (8)| Brianna Turner (4)| Footprint Center
11,724| 14–19|- style="background:#fcc;"| 34| August 10| Minnesota| L 77–86| Sophie Cunningham (24)| Shey Peddy (10)| Diamond DeShields (10)| Footprint Center
7,307| 14–20|- style="background:#cfc;"| 35| August 12| Dallas| W 86–74| Diamond DeShields (24)| Cunningham
DeShields
Peddy (5)| Shey Peddy (8)| Footprint Center
8,047| 15–20|- style="background:#fcc;"| 36| August 14| Chicago| L 67–82| Gustafson
Simms (12)| Megan Gustafson (10)| Yvonne Turner (4)| Footprint Center
12,383| 15–21|-

Playoffs

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| August 18| @ Las Vegas| L 63–79| Diamond DeShields (18)| Brianna Turner (16)| Shey Peddy (5)| Michelob Ultra Arena
8,725| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| August 21| @ Las Vegas| L 80-117| Kaela Davis (23)| Brianna Turner (7)| B. Turner
Simms
Davis
Gustafson (3)| Michelob Ultra Arena
9,126| 0–2|-

Playoffs

See also: 2022 WNBA Playoffs.

Statistics

Regular Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Skylar Diggins-Smith	30	30	34.0	.429	.296	.844	4.0	5.5	1.6	1.0	19.7
Tina Charles‡	16	16	33.1	.441	.364	.800	7.3	2.1	0.8	0.8	17.3
Diana Taurasi	31	31	31.0	.373	.337	.894	3.4	3.8	0.7	0.6	16.7
Diamond DeShields	30	19	25.3	.388	.236	.765	3.8	2.2	1.0	0.5	13.1
Sophie Cunningham	28	20	29.5	.449	.400	.875	4.4	1.6	1.0	0.4	12.6
Shey Peddy	34	24	28.6	.418	.329	.889	3.8	3.4	1.6	0.2	9.9
Kaela Davis≠	5	0	5.4	.692	.667	.750	1.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	4.6
Brianna Turner	35	35	33.4	.607	.000	.500	6.8	2.3	1.2	1.6	4.3
Megan Gustafson	33	0	9.6	.549	.462	.765	1.9	0.5	0.2	0.2	3.8
Jennie Simms≠	23	4	13.2	.476	.211	.789	2.2	0.9	0.5	0.0	3.4
Yvonne Turner≠	3	0	11.7	.400	.000	1.000	0.7	2.3	0.0	0.0	3.3
Karlie Samuelson‡	1	0	10.0	.333	.333	.000	3.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	3.0
Emma Cannon‡	1	0	6.0	1.000	.000	.500	2.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	3.0
Reshanda Gray≠	16	0	9.5	.405	.091	.333	1.8	0.6	0.3	0.3	2.0
Kristine Anigwe‡	10	1	6.5	.500	.000	.500	1.3	0.2	0.1	0.2	1.5
Sam Thomas	24	0	4.9	.211	.067	1.000	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.1	0.4

^‡Waived/Released during the season
^†Traded during the season
^≠Acquired during the season

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Diamond DeShields	2	2	27.0	.432	.333	.714	4.5	2.0	1.0	0.0	19.5
Kaela Davis	2	0	23.5	.483	.000	.800	3.5	1.5	0.5	0.5	16.0
Megan Gustafson	2	0	23.5	.316	.000	1.000	4.5	2.0	0.5	0.5	9.0
Shey Peddy	1	1	26.0	.231	.286	.000	2.0	5.0	2.0	0.0	8.0
Sophie Cunningham	2	2	31.0	.455	.375	.333	2.5	2.0	0.5	0.0	7.5
Jennie Simms	2	2	24.5	.267	.200	.200	3.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	5.5
Brianna Turner	2	2	30.0	.444	.000	.000	11.5	2.5	0.0	0.5	4.0
Reshanda Gray	2	0	8.0	.400	.000	.500	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.5
Yvonne Turner	2	1	12.0	.286	.000	.000	3.0	1.5	0.0	0.0	2.0
Sam Thomas	2	0	7.0	.500	.500	.000	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	1.5

Awards and honors

Recipient	Award/Milestone	Date awarded	Ref.
Skylar Diggins-Smith	WNBA All-Star Selection	June 28	[31]
	Western Conference Player of the Week	July 18	[32]
	All-WNBA First Team	September 15	[33]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2022 Phoenix Mercury Schedule. mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. January 1, 2022.
2. Web site: MERCURY COACHING ANNOUNCEMENT . mercury.wnba.com . WNBA . January 1, 2022.
3. Web site: MERCURY NAMES VANESSA NYGAARD HEAD COACH. 2022-01-24. Phoenix Mercury. en.
4. Web site: Maloney . Jack . Diana Taurasi injury update: Mercury star to miss remainder of WNBA season with quad injury . CBS Sports . August 12, 2022.
5. Web site: Gonzalez . Isabel . Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith out for the remainder of the season for 'personal reasons' . CBS Sports . August 12, 2022.
6. Web site: Rachel Galligan Tweet . twitter.com . Twitter . January 11, 2022.
7. Web site: WNBA Transactions. acrossthetimeline.com . Across the Timeline . January 13, 2022.
8. Web site: Ortiz . Jenna . Phoenix Mercury sign Shey Peddy, waive Megan Walker in offseason moves . azcentral.com . Arizona Central . January 13, 2022.
9. Web site: WNBA Transactions. acrossthetimeline.com . Across the Timeline . January 13, 2022.
10. Web site: MERCURY NAMES VANESSA NYGAARD HEAD COACH. mercury.wnba.com . WNBA . January 24, 2022.
11. Web site: Atlanta Acquires Kia Vaughn in Trade . dream.wnba.com . WNBA . January 31, 2022.
12. Web site: MERCURY RE-SIGNS SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM. mercury.wnba.com . WNBA . February 1, 2022.
13. Web site: Richard Cohen Tweet . twitter.com . Twitter . February 1, 2022.
14. Web site: MERCURY ACQUIRES ALL-STAR DIAMOND DESHIELDS. mercury.wnba.com . WNBA . February 5, 2022.
15. Web site: Rachel Galligan Tweet . twitter.com . Twitter . February 10, 2022.
16. Web site: MERCURY SIGNS 2021 WNBA LEADING SCORER TINA CHARLES . mercury.wnba.com . WNBA . February 10, 2022.
17. Web site: MERCURY RE-SIGNS ALL-STAR WING KIA NURSE . mercury.wnba.com . WNBA . February 10, 2022.
18. Web site: Khristina Williams Tweet. twitter.com . Twitter . February 16, 2022.
19. Web site: Khristina Williams Tweet 2. twitter.com . Twitter . March 2, 2022.
20. Web site: MERCURY ADDS CRYSTAL ROBINSON TO COACHING STAFF . mercury.wnba.com . WNBA . March 2, 2022.
21. Web site: PHOENIX MERCURY ADD NIKKI BLUE AND CINNAMON LISTER TO 2022 COACHING STAFF . mercury.wnba.com . WNBA . April 15, 2022.
22. Web site: MERCURY ADD EMMA CANNON TO TRAINING CAMP ROSTER . mercury.wnba.com . WNBA . April 23, 2022.
23. Web site: The Phoenix Mercury has waived Maël Gilles. . twitter.com . Twitter . May 2, 2022.
24. Web site: The Phoenix Mercury has signed Emma Cannon and Jennie Simms to replacement contracts . twitter.com . Twitter . May 6, 2022.
25. Web site: The Phoenix Mercury has signed Karlie Samuelson to a hardship contract. She will be available for tonight's game. . twitter.com . Twitter . June 1, 2022.
26. Web site: The Phoenix Mercury has signed Jennie Simms to a hardship contract. She will be available for tomorrow night's game. . twitter.com . Twitter . 14 June 2022.
27. 1540759151202054146. PhoenixMercury. Thank you, Tina! (thread). Phoenix Mercury.
28. Web site: Phoenix Mercury sign forward Reshanda Gray, guard Jennie Simms. 2022-06-27. Arizona Sports. 2022-06-27.
29. 1550219021466734592 . PhoenixMercury. The Phoenix Mercury has signed forward Kaela Davis to a hardship contract. She will be available for tomorrow night’s game against the Seattle Storm.. Phoenix Mercury.
30. 1556734502818312192 . PhoenixMercury. The Phoenix Mercury has signed Yvonne “Vonnie” Turner to a hardship contract due to an injury suffered by Diana Taurasi.. Phoenix Mercury.
31. Web site: Chicago Sky Trio of Kahleah Copper, Emma Meesseman, Courtney Vandersloot Highlight Reserves for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2022 . wnba.com . WNBA . July 1, 2022.
32. WNBA. July 18, 2022. 1549124255182372865. These two have been BALLING @SkyDigg4 & @De11eDonne are your #WNBA Players of the Week .
33. Kia WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson Leads 2022 All-WNBA First Team . WNBA . September 15, 2022 . September 17, 2022.