Mercury's Nate Tibbetts Weighs In on Star's Absence

Satou Sabally missed Sunday's game against the Chicago Sky for "personal reasons." Head coach Nate Tibbetts says her absence was not related from her benching in Friday's game against Atlanta.

Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts celebrates with forward Satou Sabally (0) and Sami Whitcomb (33) during the Mercury home opener against the Seattle Storm in the PHX Arena in Phoenix on May 17, 2025. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last Friday, the Phoenix Mercury were handed their worst loss of the season by the Atlanta Dream, who passed them in the standings, taking over the third-place spot that Phoenix had held for so long. All-Star starter Satou Sabally didn't touch the court in the second half, with head coach Nate Tibbetts saying the benching was a "coach's decision" and that "she didn't bring the energy that we needed."

Sabally would go on to miss the team's next game, a decisive win over the Chicago Sky, with the team listing her as being out for "personal reasons," per Underdog WNBA. The exact reasons have not been made public, but the team has addressed speculation that her absence was related to the benching in Atlanta or her broader dissatisfaction with the organization.

According to a post on X from Desert Wave Media, Sabally's absence is unrelated to the benching. "No, this is a personal matter. She's out for personal reasons and we support her through this time, and are excited to get her back when she's ready," said head coach Nate Tibbetts, who added that he is "not sure" when she'll return to the lineup.

Jul 27, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally (0) celebrates in the fourth quarter against the Washington Mystics at CareFirst Arena. Mandatory Credit: Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images / Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images

It's a tough break for a team that is currently working to rebuild chemistry, now that they finally have a healthy roster, and the Mercury are now playing without all three of their big stars on the court together yet again. The team will certainly be hoping that Sabally is okay and that her return will be sooner than later. She has recently endured a tough shooting stretch, but she only recently returned from an injury.

Phoenix struggled mightily on offense after her benching in the Atlanta game, scoring a season-low eight points in the third quarter without her. They also had a rough first quarter against Chicago, scoring just 13 on 20% shooting from the field, but were able to bounce back and take control of the game as it went on.

Sabally gives the team another dimension when she's healthy and at her best. She has the size (6'4") of a legit big, but is mobile enough to switch on the perimeter when necessary and can rebound well (6.7 boards per game) for a player lined up as the nominal small forward. She's a deadly outside shooter when she's in rhythm and raises the team's ceiling when she's out there. Against Chicago, the Mercury elected to move Sami Whitcomb into the starting lineup in her place.

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