Alyssa Thomas keeps finding ways to set records with her triple-doubles, and has once again completed a new feat with her eighth.
After just 21:52 of play, Thomas posted the fastest triple-double in WNBA history as the Phoenix Mercury fell, 87-83, to the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
Thomas surpassed the Aug. 22 mark set by Minnesota Lynx forward Jessica Shepard for the fastest triple-double — by just five seconds. Thomas shot 55.5% and scored her final field goal with a turnaround hook shot to post 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) reacts to a play during the second half against the Indiana Fever, Sept. 2, 2025, in Phoenix.
She previously broke her own record of most triple-doubles in a season, set in 2023.
“When I subbed her out, I didn’t even know that she had the triple-double,” coach Nate Tibbetts said. “I was pretty impressed when the crowd was going crazy because the plan was to get her out.
“I thought she went to the rim and it looked like she turned her ankle and that was the end of her minutes. But AT impacts the game at a high level and she did it tonight in a quick fashion.”
With the Sparks’ playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the Mercury played their stars for three quarters but rested them in the fourth.
Satou Sabally’s recent stretch has been some of her best play since before the All-Star break, where she was named an All-Star starter. Sabally has impacted the game beyond just her scoring; she provided big 3-pointers in the past two road contests.
Whenever Sabally saw the court, she sparked the Mercury and posted a team-high 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting and was 4-of-6 from the 3.
Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally, left, drives past Los Angeles Sparks forward Azura Stevens (23) to the basket during the first half Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in Phoenix.
With the playoffs beginning on Sunday, Sept. 14, Tibbetts strayed from his eight-player rotation and brought in players, including Kit Laksa and Kalani Brown, who have not played in six games, as early as the first quarter.
Shifting the Mercury’s lineup resulted in the Sparks gaining momentum, but the Mercury’s reserves turned a tie game into a five-point lead against the Sparks’ starters at the start of the fourth quarter.
Kiana Williams, who hadn’t played since the final minute of the Mercury’s win over the New York Liberty on Aug. 30, took advantage of her expanded minutes and made two 3-pointers on six attempts. Williams and Brown finished with seven points each.
“It’s so much fun to watch our people play,” Sabally said. “We saw them more in the first half of the season, and that’s the reason why we’re so high in the standings.
“And I’m glad they got to show what we got.”
The Sparks used their length and inside game to best the Mercury on both sides of the ball. The Sparks dominated in the paint without Thomas and Natasha Mack, outscoring the Mercury 10-2. Dearica Hamby got 16 of her 25 points in that quarter.
Even with the Sparks prevailing, Tibbetts sees it as a good sign that his reserves can stay close against a team desperate to continue their season, especially with the uncertainty of the playoffs.
“I’m super proud of that group,” Tibbetts said. “Some of those players haven’t gotten the minutes that maybe they like or deserve. As a head coach, you got to make tough decisions, but I think it shows the talent level and depth we have on our team. My hope is that this can give them a little bit of life and energy to just stay ready.
“You just never know what’s going to happen. To play them at the level that they did and to only be outscored by four points by their starters, I give a lot of credit to them.”
The Mercury are fourth in the WNBA playoff standings and are 27-16 on the season. The Sparks were officially eliminated after the Seattle Storm defeated the Golden State Valkyries in a tight game for the final playoff spot.
The Mercury will end their season on Thursday, Sept. 11, at the Dallas Wings at 5 p.m.
