The Phoenix Mercury’s long-awaited resurgence took a monumental step forward on Wednesday night as Satou Sabally delivered a historic performance in her franchise debut, leading the team to a 98-87 victory over the Seattle Storm.

In a game that symbolized both the dawn of a new era and the continuation of the Mercury’s storied legacy, Sabally shattered the team’s single-game scoring record for a debutant, finishing with 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists while showcasing the two-way dominance that has made her one of the WNBA’s most electrifying talents.

The win not only marked Phoenix’s third consecutive triumph to open the season but also signaled the arrival of Sabally as the centerpiece of a rebuild anchored by her dynamic versatility and basketball IQ.

Dallas star Satou Sabally says she doesn't plan on being back with the  Wings next season | AP News

The stage was set for Sabally’s grand entrance after a blockbuster offseason trade that sent the 25-year-old forward from the Dallas Wings to Phoenix in exchange for a haul of draft picks and veteran guard Sophie Cunningham.

The move was hailed as a bold gamble by Mercury general manager Jim Papas, who sought to pair Sabally with rising star Cameron Brink, the 2024 No. 1 overall pick, and capitalize on the twilight of Diana Taurasi’s career.

For Sabally, it represented a fresh start after three injury-plagued seasons in Dallas, where she struggled to fulfill her potential amid inconsistent roster construction. From the opening tip, she made it clear this would be her team—and the WNBA would take notice.

Sabally wasted no time asserting her authority. On Phoenix’s first possession, she caught the ball at the elbow, sized up Storm defender Ezi Magbegor, and sank a silky mid-range jumper to quiet the Climate Pledge Arena crowd.

By the end of the first quarter, she had added a step-back three, a driving layup through traffic, and a chase-down block on a fast break, finishing the period with 11 points and three defensive stops. Seattle’s defensive game plan seemed ill-equipped to handle her length, athleticism, and ability to score from anywhere on the floor.

Head coach Noelle Quinn scrambled to deploy different coverages—switching Magbegor onto her, sending double-teams, even briefly using veteran center Sylvia Fowles as a physical deterrent—but none could contain Sabally’s relentless onslaught.

The second quarter saw Sabally expand her impact beyond scoring. Recognizing Seattle’s collapsing defense, she began slicing through the paint with heady passes, dishing out four assists in the frame, including a no-look dime to Brink for a thunderous alley-oop that ignited the Mercury bench. Her court vision, often overlooked during her time in Dallas, became a critical weapon against a Storm squad built around perimeter defense.

By halftime, Sabally had tallied 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, putting her on pace for a historic night. Meanwhile, Phoenix held a 52-45 advantage, with Sabally accounting for 36% of the team’s scoring output and anchoring a defense that forced 11 turnovers.

The third quarter belonged entirely to Sabally. After Seattle trimmed the deficit to five early in the period, she answered with a flurry of clutch baskets: a fadeaway over Nneka Ogwumike, a contested three-pointer in the face of Jewell Loyd, and a steal-turned-transition layup that left Storm guard Sue Bird shaking her head courtside.

By the 4:12 mark, she had eclipsed the previous Mercury debut scoring record—27 points by Penny Taylor in 2004—and the crowd erupted as the scoreboard flashed her name atop the franchise’s all-time debut leaderboard.

Satou Sabally Is Here To Speak Her Mind - D Magazine

The Storm’s attempts to slow her devolved into frustration; Loyd, tasked with guarding Sabally late in the quarter, picked up her fourth foul after a contentious charge call, forcing Seattle to rotate its bench units earlier than anticipated.

Phoenix’s dominance peaked in the fourth, where Sabally’s composure under pressure proved decisive. With the Storm narrowing the gap to six midway through the period, she buried back-to-back threes to push the lead to 12, then followed with a steal and coast-to-coast finish that drew a foul and extended the margin.

When Seattle mounted one final rally behind veteran guard Sue Bird’s playmaking, Sabally responded by drawing a charging foul on Loyd, securing a defensive rebound, and hitting two free throws to seal the victory.

By game’s end, her stat line read like a blueprint for modern WNBA stardom: 34 points (on 13-of-22 shooting), 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. The Mercury’s bench erupted in celebration as Sabally exited the floor with 1:12 remaining, greeted by hugs from Taurasi and a standing ovation from the Phoenix contingent in attendance.

The significance of Sabally’s performance extended far beyond the box score. For a Mercury franchise that had languished in mediocrity since its 2014 championship run, her debut marked the arrival of a new cornerstone capable of bridging the gap between the past and future.

Taurasi, now 42 but still a savvy distributor, praised Sabally’s “unselfishness and killer instinct” in her postgame interview, while Brink lauded her new teammate’s ability to “make everyone around her better.”

Analysts on ESPN’s broadcast noted that Sabally’s 34 points were the most by a player making their debut with a new team since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976, a stat that underscored her immediate impact.

Defensively, Sabally’s contributions were equally transformative. The Mercury entered the game ranked 10th in defensive efficiency but held the Storm—a top-five offensive team—to 38% shooting and just 18 assists, a testament to her ability to disrupt passing lanes and guard multiple positions.

Seattle’s vaunted backcourt of Loyd and Sami Whitcomb combined to shoot 7-of-25, with Sabally’s active hands (3 steals) and perimeter rotations serving as the catalyst.

“She’s the kind of player you build a system around,” Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts said during his postgame presser, emphasizing Sabally’s “motor, basketball IQ, and leadership” as key factors in the win.

For the Storm, the loss exposed vulnerabilities that could haunt them in a competitive Western Conference. Despite a 21-point, 8-assist effort from Bird and 18 points from Stewart, their inability to contain Sabally highlighted the challenges of adapting to a league increasingly defined by versatile forwards.

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Coach Quinn acknowledged postgame that Sabally’s skill set “forces you to make impossible decisions,” adding that the team would need to “reassess our schemes” for future matchups.

The defeat dropped Seattle to 2-2 on the season, reigniting questions about their consistency as they transition from a dynasty to a contender rebuilding around younger pieces.

Social media erupted following Sabally’s performance, with hashtags like #WelcomeToPhoenix and #SatouSabally trending globally by midnight. Memes juxtaposed her scoring burst with her pre-trade interviews in Dallas, where she had famously stated, “I just want to be on a team that wins.”

Fans celebrated the irony, while analysts debated whether the Mercury had finally found the missing piece to complement Brink and Skylar Diggins-Smith. Even LeBron James joined the chorus, tweeting, “34 in a debut? That’s some elite stuff. The WNBA is 🔥 right now,” a nod to the league’s surging popularity amid Clark’s rookie season and Sabally’s arrival.

Beyond the individual accolades, Sabally’s performance carried broader implications for the WNBA’s evolving identity. At 6’4”, she embodies the archetype of the “positionless” player dominating modern basketball, blending the scoring instincts of a guard with the physicality of a forward and the playmaking vision of a facilitator.

Her ability to thrive in Phoenix also underscores the growing importance of player empowerment and strategic roster construction in a league where superstar talent remains concentrated among a handful of franchises.

For the Mercury, the win validated their aggressive pivot toward Sabally and Brink, two young pillars who could anchor a contender for years to come.

Looking ahead, the Mercury will lean heavily on Sabally’s all-around brilliance as they navigate a brutal early-season schedule. Their next test comes on Saturday against the Las Vegas Aces, a team that swept Phoenix in the 2023 playoffs and features Sabally’s former Dallas teammate A’ja Wilson, who has already vowed to “welcome her to the W in style.”

For Sabally, the focus remains on team success: “This is just Game One,” she told reporters postgame. “We’re not here to make noise—we’re here to win championships.”

As the Mercury’s front office celebrates its blockbuster trade, and fans revel in the dawn of a new era, one truth has become undeniable: Satou Sabally isn’t just a franchise savior—she’s a generational talent ready to redefine the WNBA’s next chapter. Wednesday night wasn’t just a debut; it was a coronation.