Will Monique Akoa Makani Play vs Golden State?

The Phoenix Mercury could be getting a key starter back in time for a tough road matchup against the Golden State Valkyries.

Jul 14, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani (8) shoots the ball against the Golden State Valkyries during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

In the Phoenix Mercury's last game, a dramatic three-point victory in Seattle against the Storm, starting point guard Monique Akoa Makani had to sit out with a knee injury, forcing the Mercury to make some late changes to their lineup. It appears she is on the mend though, as her status has been upgraded from "questionable" on Sunday to "probable" for Tuesday night's game against the Golden State Valkyries.

Without Akoa Makani in the lineup, the Mercury turned to Sami Whitcomb at the starting point guard spot. They also expanded their rotation, from the eight-player group that head coach Nate Tibbetts has said he prefers to use down the stretch, to a nine-player unit. Lexi Held and Kitija Laksa formed a replacement-by-committee and held down the fort capably, with Held knocking down a three and picking up an assist.

It's unclear if Akoa Makani will play her usual minutes load on Tuesday (or if she'll suit up at all), but when she's healthy, she's a big part of what the Mercury do on offense and defense. The rookie guard from Cameroon is an excellent floor spacer and is seventh in the WNBA in three-point percentage, hitting 41.8% of her threes for the season.

And while she may not be the team's primary playmaker, despite being the nominal point guard, she's a capable ballhandler who can bring the ball up the floor and attack closeouts on the perimeter. She's also flashed a nice midrange pull-up when opposing guards overplay her beyond the arc.

Key Status

Jul 27, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani (8) shoots the ball in the second half against the Washington Mystics at CareFirst Arena. Mandatory Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images / Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

She's also one of the team's strongest defenders, capable of fighting over screens and staying attached to ballhandlers, which makes life much easier for the Mercury's help defenders. Phoenix gives up 104 points per 100 possessions when she's on the bench and just 96.6 when she's on the floor.

The game against Golden State is the kind of game she thrives in, too. Curiously, she actually shoots better from the field (51.1% compared to 36.5%) and from three (45.9%, up from 38.9%) on the road than at home, despite Phoenix being better at home than on the road in general.

Last time the two teams faced off in the Bay, Akoa Makani hit three of her six three-pointers and Phoenix outscored Golden State by 11 in her 25 minutes on the floor. The Mercury won that game by just one point.

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