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WNBA Phoenix Mercury

Phoenix Mercury Acquire All-WNBA First Team Forwards Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas, Veteran Center Kalani Brown and Guard Sevgi Uzun in Four-Team Trade

February 2, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Phoenix Mercury News Release


PHOENIX - The Phoenix Mercury today announced the acquisitions of All-WNBA First Team forwards Satou Sabally (from Dallas) and Alyssa Thomas (from Connecticut), along with veteran center Kalani Brown and guard Sevgi Uzun (from Dallas), as part of a four-team trade with the Connecticut Sun, Dallas Wings and Indiana Fever. As part of the deal, Connecticut receives Rebecca Allen and Natasha Cloud (from Phoenix), Jacy Sheldon (from Dallas) and the 8th pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (from Indiana). Dallas receives the rights to Kiki Herbert Harrigan and the 12th pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (from Phoenix), Dijonai Carrington, Tyasha Harris and the rights to a 2026 second-round pick swap (from Connecticut) and NaLyssa Smith and the rights to a 2027 third-round pick swap (from Indiana). Indiana receives Sophie Cunningham and the 19th pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft (from Phoenix) and Jaelyn Brown (from Dallas).

A two-time WNBA All-Star (2021, 2023) and All-WNBA First Team selection (2023), Sabally was selected second overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft by Dallas. The 6-4 forward has played all five seasons of her career with the Wings and holds career averages of 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals in 97 games. Sabally, 26, joins Tamika Catchings as the only players in WNBA history to average more than 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists through the first 90 games of their career.

Last season, Sabally averaged 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, a career-high 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 15 games (missed 25 games due to injury). She joined Caitlin Clark as the only players to average 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the 2024 season and shot a career-high 45.2% from deep, which ranked second in the league amongst players who attempted 75-plus threes, behind only Stefanie Dolson. In 2023, Sabally was named the KIA WNBA Most Improved Player, All-WNBA First Team and a starter in the All-Star Game. She averaged 18.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals - up from 11.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.5 steals in 2022 - and joined Candace Parker (2015) as the only players in WNBA history to average more than 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists for a season. Sabally, who has German and Gambian descent, led Germany to the quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the country's first ever Olympic appearance.

Thomas is a five-time WNBA All-Star (2017, 2019, 2022-24), three-time All-WNBA selection (2022-24), six-time All-Defensive Team selection (2017, 2019-20, 2022-24) and the league's all-time leader in regular season (11) and playoff (4) triple-doubles. The 11-year WNBA veteran has finished in the top five in MVP voting in each of the last three seasons. Last year with the Sun, Thomas averaged 10.6 points on 50.9% shooting, 8.4 rebounds (9th - WNBA), 7.9 assists (2nd - WNBA) and 1.6 steals en route to earning her second consecutive All-WNBA First Team honor.

The 6-2 forward has played all 11 seasons of her career with the Sun and holds career averages of 12.2 points on 48.3% shooting, 7.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals in 319 games. Thomas, who led Connecticut to two WNBA Finals appearances (2019, 2022) and six consecutive semifinals, departs as the Sun's all-time leader in minutes, rebounds, assists, steals, field goals and free throws. She was originally selected fourth overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft by New York and traded to Connecticut on draft night. Thomas won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics and also at the 2022 FIBA World Cup.

Brown, a 6-7 center, appeared in 39 games for Dallas last season, averaging 5.7 points on 58.2% shooting and 3.1 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game. The five-year WNBA veteran had seven double-digit scoring games off the bench in 2024, the most among all reserve centers. Brown has shot 60.5% from the field over the last two seasons, the highest percentage amongst players who have attempted at least 300 field goals. She holds career averages of 5.9 points on 56.6% shooting and 3.4 rebounds in 110 games with Dallas (2023-24), Atlanta (2020-21) and Los Angeles (2019), where she was drafted seventh overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

Uzun, a 5-10 guard appeared in all 40 games (19 starts) in 2024 during her rookie season with the Wings. She averaged 4.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 0.9 steals in 20.5 minutes per game, ranking third amongst rookies in assists per game and sixth in steals per game. The 27-year-old played professionally in Turkey since 2013 and is a member of the Turkish National Team. Uzun won the 2024 EuroLeague Championship with Fenerbahçe, is a two-time Turkish Super League Champion (2021, 2024) and was named the Turkish League Domestic Player of the Year in 2023.

Mercury general manager Nick U'Ren on Satou Sabally :

"Satou is an exceptional and rare talent who is still hungry to develop and improve her game. Her positional versatility, diverse skillset and competitive drive make her one of the biggest difference-makers in our league. Teaming her with Kahleah and Alyssa will allow us to play the kind of dynamic brand of basketball we want to play, the kind our fans deserve."

U'Ren on Alyssa Thomas :

"Alyssa is one of the most complete players our league has ever seen. She is an elite facilitator, defensive stopper and as fierce a competitor as they come. She makes everyone around her better and her versatility on both ends of the court will elevate our team immensely."

U'Ren on Kalani Brown and Sevgi Uzun :

"Kalani is a highly efficient post presence with great size who plays with intensity every night, and Sevgi is a really capable guard who brings both youth and experience, having played professionally in Turkey for more than a decade. We're excited to add both of them to our roster."

U'Ren on the departures of Rebecca Allen, Natasha Cloud and Sophie Cunningham :

"We are so appreciative of Bec, Natasha and Sophie for everything they brought to our organization, on and off the court. They each made a big impact in their time here, and we wish them all the best on these next stops in their journeys."

The Mercury will tip off the 2025 WNBA regular season at home on Saturday, May 17 at 7 p.m. against the Seattle Storm in the Fry's Food Stores Home Opener. Tickets for the home opener are available at mercury.wnba.com/single-game-tickets.

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