The Phoenix Mercury have a busy year ahead of them. They will face old foes, but they will also meet two teams entering the league. The Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo will be in action this year, and before the season starts, both teams will be involved with an expansion draft.
Aug 19, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2) and Golden State Valkyries forward Laeticia Amihere (3) reach for a loose ball in the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Expansion drafts are nothing new, and one happened before the 2025 season. The Golden State Valkyries made their debut, and they had a successful season. They made the playoffs, and their coach took home the prestigious Coach of the Year award.
Before Golden State’s draft, the last expansion draft took place in 2008, and that was the year the Atlanta Dream entered the league. The Dream selected players such as Carla Thomas, Érika de Souza and Ann Strother. They also drafted Jennifer Lacy, who was with the Mercury at that time.
Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada (3) drives against Phoenix Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani (8) during the first quarter at PHX Arena Aug 10, 2025. | Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Soon, the new teams will add their players, as the latest draft will take place on April 3. The Tempo won a coin toss, and Sandy Brondello’s new team will pick sixth in the 2026 WNBA Draft. The Fire will have the first pick in the expansion draft.
New Year, Same Process
It will be interesting to see how everything plays out, and when it comes to teams like the Mercury, they are used to this. Phoenix is one of the WNBA’s original teams, and the league has evolved over the years.
Phoenix Mercury players huddle before their WNBA playoff semifinal game against the Minnesota Lynx at PHX Arena on Sept. 28, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The league added new teams for the first time in 1998, and the Detroit Shock and the Washington Mystics made their debut. The Mercury lost Tara Williams, and she went to the Shock.
In 1999, the Minnesota Lynx and the Orlando Miracle entered the league, and Brandy Reed went to the Lynx. She had an impressive season with them, and after that, she returned to Phoenix and became an All-Star.
Phoenix has lost its share of players through expansion drafts, and this year will be the same. It is a process, and all established teams go through it. These new teams are trying to get going, and building a decent roster through the draft is a great way to get started. It worked well for the Valkyries, and the same may happen for the Fire and the Tempo.
The expansion draft is approaching, and soon, those two, new teams will prepare for their future.
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