Alyssa Thomas Ties Career High, Sets Franchise Record in Win

In Friday's win against Las Vegas, Alyssa Thomas re-wrote the WNBA record books yet again, with a remarkable 16-assist triple-double.

Aug 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) drives around Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle (14) in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Alyssa Thomas put up a stellar performance in a must-win game for the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night, dropping her 21st career triple-double, with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 16 assists. It was her fifth triple-double in her last nine games, an astonishing feat in a league that plays 40-minute games, and her sixth for the season, matching the mark she set in 2023. She has plenty of time left this season to break her own record for most triple-doubles in a single campaign.

Thomas, the owner of almost 40% of the triple-doubles in league history, also tied her career high with 16 assists (she hit that mark back in 2023 as well) and set a Mercury franchise record for the most assists in a single game. She also became the first player in league history to post four games of 15 assists or more in one season.

Thomas Sounds Off

The WNBA leader in triple-doubles and double-doubles (19 this year and counting) has established herself as an MVP candidate yet again, but is sometimes overlooked in national-level conversations for the best player in the league. For what it's worth, she says she doesn't care much about the lack of attention. "I don't care about people's opinions or what they think of me," said Thomas.

"I'm gonna go out there and be myself no matter what. I'm a competitor and I want to win. At the end of the day, that's what matters to me...it's never about all the other stuff."

Aug 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) reacts after getting called for a foul against the Golden State Valkyries in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Others in the organization have been more than happy to campaign for her though. Head coach Nate Tibbetts commented on how her MVP candidacy compares to other players', saying "AT does it in a different way...her scoring average isn't as high but she does it with assists, she does it with her rebounding."

"She's been overlooked this year. She's been overlooked this year. She's probably been overlooked her career when it comes to the MVP-type race," Tibbetts added, also noting that her defensive contributions have been huge for the Mercury this year.

At this point, some of Thomas's records are starting to look unbreakable, unless the WNBA season significantly expands in length again. No other player is doing what she's doing right now and, decades from now, her name will still be all over the league's record books.

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