The Phoenix Mercury will be an intriguing team to follow throughout the 2025 campaign. They lost Diana Taurasi to retirement and Brittney Griner in free agency, but Phoenix added stars Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas through trades. There is one player who they selected in the WNBA Draft that could quietly emerge as the next star in the league, however.
Kitija Laksa could become a star in the WNBA
Laska is a 28-year-old who will technically be a rookie in 2025. She played her college basketball at South Florida before heading overseas. Laska, who is from Latvia, was selected by the Seattle Storm in the 2020 WNBA Draft.
However, she has not played in a WNBA game yet, but that could change in 2025. Laska most recently played in Italy, where she averaged over 40 percent on her three-point shooting. She is an excellent long-range shooter, something that should play well in the Mercury's offense.
Laska has been one of the best players in the EuroLeague in recent seasons. The fact that she has yet to play in a WNBA game is rather surprising, as she is fairly well known among fans. Players such as Paige Bueckers and Dominique Malonga will be the front-runners to take home the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award, but that doesn't mean Laska won't have a productive rookie season.
Mercury's 2025 outlook
Phoenix will need a complete team effort in order to make a postseason run. Some people around the WNBA world are confident in the Mercury's chances to make some noise in the standings this year. The Sabally-Thomas duo is intriguing without question. If the Mercury are going to meet those expectations, though, they will need players such as Laska to step up and make a significant impact.
The good news is that Laska should be able to play at a high level. Sure, playing in the WNBA is a different experience than EuroLeague basketball, but quality shooting can translate in any league. As long as the Mercury's play-makers are willing to trust Laska, she could emerge as one of the better three-point shooters in the WNBA.
Phoenix will begin the WNBA preseason on Tuesday, May 6 against the Las Vegas Aces. The Mercury will then play the Golden State Valkyries in their final preseason matchup on May 11. Phoenix's first regular season contest is scheduled for May 17 against the Seattle Storm.