Mercury Have Impressive Spot in Key Rankings

In a recent ranking of WNBA franchises based on how they'll look over the next five years, the Phoenix Mercury finished in the middle of the pack.

Diana Taurasi and Mat Ishbia pose for a photo during the grand opening of the Mercury’s new practice facility on Thursday, July 18, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Phoenix Mercury have exceeded even the most optimistic expectations thus far in the 2025 season, racing out to a hot start and sole ownership of second place in the Western Conference, but every good organization has to think of the long-term as well as the short-term success of the team.

Last week, The Athletic took a look around the league to assess how each WNBA franchise has set itself up for the next five years and ranked them accordingly. The Mercury finished in sixth, in the middle of the pack.

Their rankings took several factors into consideration, including market size and attendance, facilities and amenities, ownership, the front office, the current roster, and future draft capital. How much each factor was weighed in the final rankings was a bit arbitrary, of course, but it was a fairly holistic look at the health of each franchise.

Of course, things can change quickly. The Mercury's future looked murky even just a few months ago, but looks considerably brighter now, and their reputation around the league has bounced back, with players considering them the best-run organization in the league and giving them the third-best title odds this season.

Many of the things that led to players calling the Mercury the best-run WNBA franchise buoyed Phoenix's ranking here. They came out on top in terms of facilities and amenities, thanks in no small part to their state-of-the-art $100 million, 58,000 square foot practice facility that opened last year. The top-class amenities, combined with the commitment to the team that the owner and front office have demonstrated, are a big draw for potential free agents.

Despite being located in the fifth-most populous city in the United States, Phoenix scored just seventh in the "market size" category, behind smaller cities like Seattle and Indianapolis (the latter because of the Caitlin Clark effect, no doubt).

Phoenix was held back a bit by the "players" category -- not because of the quality of the roster, but because of the ages of the players. Only two Mercury regulars are under 26, suggesting they'll have to refresh the roster within the next few years to maintain their current level of competitiveness. They also came out just 11th in terms of draft capital. Phoenix famously didn't have a pick in the last draft and they owe their 2026 first as well.

The top three in the overall rankings were the Indiana Fever, Golden State Valkyries, and Seattle Storm. The Connecticut Sun finished in last place.

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