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<\/p>\nPHOENIX \u2014 With the WNBA 2026 season on the horizon, the Phoenix Mercury are looking to run it back with elite star power that\u2019s being recognized across the league.<\/p>\n
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Apr 29, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) against Japan during a WNBA preseason game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
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ESPN released its Top 50 player rankings entering the year, and Phoenix features three players on the list: Alyssa Thomas at No. 2, Kahleah Copper<\/a> at No. 12 and DeWanna Bonner<\/a> at No. 47. The trio showcases both the Mercury\u2019s ceiling and the urgency surrounding a team that came within reach of a fourth title just a season ago.<\/p>\n Thomas\u2019 spot near the top of the list shows her all-around dominance, regarded as one of the league\u2019s most versatile players, capable of impacting every possession as a scorer, rebounder and facilitator. Her return to the Valley this offseason solidifies the club\u2019s identity as a team built on toughness and playmaking.<\/p>\n Apr 29, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2) moves the ball against Japan guard Nanako Todo (75) during a WNBA preseason game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Copper at No. 12 remains the team\u2019s offensive engine. She was one of the leading scorers for the club in the regular season and in the playoffs, with her athleticism and ability to make tough shots showcasing her knack for reading defenses and getting buckets.<\/p>\n Bonner, who joined Phoenix midway through the season last year, speaks to depth. The two-time champion is one of the most accomplished veterans in the league and provides the experience the Mercury value \u2014 traits that were essential during the team\u2019s postseason push.<\/p>\n Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner (24) shoots the ball over Team Japan guard Nanako Todo (23) during their preseason game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, on April 29, 2026. \u00a9 Joe Rondone\/The Republic \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n While rankings only reflect a snapshot of what each player can bring this year, they offer insight into how the league views contenders before Game 1. In Phoenix\u2019s case, having multiple players on the list reinforces that last season wasn\u2019t a fluke.<\/p>\n The Mercury prioritized continuity this offseason, re-signing these three players in a belief that their core can finish what it started. More importantly, these rankings validate what the club has shown on the court \u2014 a foundation built on complementary stars.<\/p>\n As the 2026 season approaches, expectations in the Valley aren\u2019t about rebuilding \u2014 it\u2019s about results, as the Mercury enter the year with both the talent and pressure to deliver.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n *Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PHOENIX \u2014 With the WNBA 2026 season on the horizon, the Phoenix Mercury are looking to run it…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":615790,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[15447,2946,11649,16802,146321,207600,159827,18740,5551,196302,52760,99,72774,434,264412],"class_list":["post-615789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-alyssa-thomas","tag-az","tag-dewanna-bonner","tag-kahleah-copper","tag-mandatory-credit","tag-mark-j-rebilas-imagn","tag-mortgage-matchup-center","tag-phoenix","tag-phoenix-mercury","tag-player-rankings","tag-preseason-game","tag-sports","tag-the-mercury","tag-wnba","tag-wnba-preseason"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=615789"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615789\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/615790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=615789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=615789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=615789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/9fb37bf21692e7e221dfb1a1e608145d.jpeg\"\/)
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