Finding the right talent can be a challenge, but the Phoenix Mercury did a great job this year. They acquired two stars to play alongside Kahleah Copper, and when it came to filling out the rest of their roster, they turned to rookies.
The Mercury did not have any draft picks this year, but they made the best of what would normally be a bad situation. Phoenix found a nice group of rookies, and Lexi Held was one of them.
Held played for DePaul in her college years. She averaged 13.0 points, 3.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds in those years. Her best season was her third year, as she averaged 16.6 points, 3.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds.
Jun 11, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (1) against the Dallas Wings at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Held went undrafted in 2022, and despite signing a training camp deal with the Chicago Sky at that time, she did not make the roster. Then, she played overseas before signing a training camp deal with the Mercury before the season.
Phoenix had a good season, as they finished the season with a recordof 27-17. Their stars were excellent, and the team’s rookies had some great moments in that time.
When it comes to Held’s season, her best performance was against the Golden State Valkyries. She led the team in scoring in that outing, as she had 24 points. It was a great game for the rookie, and she knocked down four 3-pointers in the process.
Mercury guards Lexie Held (center white) and Kathryn Westbeld (24) celebrate a basket at PHX Arena in Phoenix on Aug. 7, 2025. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
That game showed how talented Held is, and at around that time, she had some other solid performances. The Mercury faced the Minnesota Lynx right before the Valkyries, and in that game, Held had 16 points. She also had three steals, three assists, a rebound and a block. Minnesota won that game, as they beat Phoenix 88-65.
Phoenix’s rookie also had two 14-point games. In the Mercury’s against the Seattle Storm, Held played well, and on top ofher 14 points, she had three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Her next 14-point performance was in a win over the Connecticut Sun. She also had two rebounds and two steals.
Jul 23, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (1) reacts to a call against the Atlanta Dream in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Then, Held had two 11-point games, and they were against the Storm and the Dallas Wings. Phoenix won both of those games.
The Mercury rookies made a name for themselves, and Held showed her skills early on. She had nice games this season, and come next year, she can make an even bigger impact.
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