Phoenix Mercury Re-Sign Monique Akoa Makani, Natasha Mack and Kathryn Westbeld
WNBA Phoenix Mercury

Phoenix Mercury Re-Sign Monique Akoa Makani, Natasha Mack and Kathryn Westbeld

Published on April 15, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Phoenix Mercury News Release


PHOENIX - The Phoenix Mercury have re-signed guard Monique Akoa Makani and forward/center Natasha Mack. The team has also re-signed forward Kathryn Westbeld to a training camp contract.

Akoa Makani returns to Phoenix after starting 40 of 41 games during her rookie campaign. The Cameroonian-French guard averaged 7.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 0.8 steals, while shooting 43.0% from the field, 39.8% from three and 92.7% from the free-throw line. She joined Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride as the only players in 2025 to shoot at least 40/39/90 (minimum 25 games played) and became just the fifth rookie in WNBA history to do so, alongside Sue Bird, Elena Delle Donne, Kristi Toliver and Victoria Vivians.

Akoa Makani recorded the second-most three-pointers by a rookie in franchise history (49), trailing only Diana Taurasi (62 in 2004), and was the fourth WNBA rookie to make three or more three-pointers in four consecutive games, joining Taurasi, Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark. She ranked third among WNBA rookies in assists per game, fourth in threes made, and eighth in both points and steals. Akoa Makani began the season with 26 consecutive free throw makes, tied for the third-longest streak to begin a career in league history. In the WNBA Finals, she became the youngest rookie (24 years, 241 days) to start a Finals game since 2018.

Mack returns to the Mercury for a third season after posting career highs last year in minutes (18.3), points (4.7), rebounds (5.8), blocks (a team-high 1.5), and steals (0.9) across 34 games (23 starts). The 6-4 forward ranked fourth in the league in blocks per game and first in blocks per 40 minutes (3.3) among players with at least 25 appearances. She was one of six players to record multiple blocks in 15 or more games, alongside A'ja Wilson, Ezi Magbegor, Alanna Smith, Napheesa Collier and Kamilla Cardoso.

Mack shot 57.3% from the field - second in the league behind Jessica Shepard (minimum 100 field-goal attempts). She ranked eighth in offensive rebounds per game (2.3), joining Angel Reese as the only players with multiple games with seven or more offensive rebounds. Mack was the lone player in 2025 to record 10+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ blocks and 2+ steals in a game, joining DeWanna Bonner as the only players in Mercury history to post that stat line.

Westbeld, a 6-3 forward and 2018 NCAA Champion with Notre Dame, appeared in 43 games (24 starts) for Phoenix last season, averaging 5.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks. The undrafted rookie was one of four 2025 rookies to total at least 60 combined steals and blocks, joining Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron and Saniya Rivers - all top-10 draft picks. Westbeld (36 steals and 24 blocks) became the first Mercury rookie since Brittney Griner in 2013 to reach that mark. She also ranked sixth among 2025 rookies in threes made (42), the fourth most by a rookie in franchise history.

During the Mercury's Finals run, Westbeld set a franchise rookie postseason record with eight steals and knocked down nine three-pointers - second-most off the bench by a rookie in WNBA playoff history, trailing only Briann January (12 in 2009). In Phoenix's 20-point comeback win over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 2 of the semifinals, she notched 8 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals off the bench, becoming the first player in WNBA postseason history to record four or more steals in fewer than 15 minutes.

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