The Phoenix Mercury have had a rough week by any measure. The Alyssa Thomas suspension, followed by the online abuse and threats directed at players created noise that could easily pull a team’s attention inward in the wrong way. Monique Akoa Makani shared a message, which was posted by Mercury beat writer Jeff Metcalfe on X, affirming that the locker room has not let any of these noise affect their morale.

“I think our coaching staff and even our leaders are doing a pretty good job to maintain their focus on us because there’s really no time for us to look outside,” Makani said. “If you want strength, you got to pull it from each other. And I think that the biggest thing is to focus on us and know that we literally have everything in that room to be able to move forward every time.”

In addressing the issue, coach Nate Tibbetts affirmed the franchise’s unwavering support for Alyssa Thomas. He expressed his disagreement with Fever head coach Stephanie White’s claim that the action was a deliberate cheap shot too. He also stated his disagreement with the league’s handling of the situation, citing that there were no adequate investigations before a suspension was issued to Thomas.

Thomas herself maintained the contact was accidental and went public about the death threats she received in the following few days. She called out the WNBA for what she described as “prolonged silence” while her safety was at risk.

While the incident is still dominating conversations around the WNBA, it appears like it is gradually quieting down. Alyssa Thomas has already served her one-game suspension in the game against the Toronto Tempo. The focus now is on the Seattle Storm game, and the expectation is that she’ll feature in that game.

Thomas has been specific about where her head is going forward, and it is not in the direction of pulling back.

Alyssa Thomas Appreciates Phoenix Mercury’s Support Through Backlash, Vows to Stay Aggressive on Court

The support that Alyssa Thomas got from the Phoenix Mercury franchise, through all the backlash she has faced is one that she does not take for granted. And she very much expressed her appreciation for it. Also, while having to serve the one-game suspension was quite difficult, the positive result that the team got out of the game made it easier to accept.

“I’m just super happy to be a part of this franchise and how they’ve supported me through this whole thing and had my back,” she said in the interview where she originally addressed the issue. “It was hard to sit and watch the game. But like I said, just super proud that they were able to ground out a win.”

However, regardless of the backlash or suspension that has come out of that foul, Alyssa Thomas is not going to consider altering her playing style. She will continue to play with aggression and confidence, as it is part of what makes her effective, even though the outside noise around her has grown louder.

“I got to continue to be more aggressive. I think a lot of people give me that shot each and every game, I just have to be willing to take it more. So I just continue to be confident in my ability.”

Sitting on a 7-13 record this season, the Phoenix Mercury really need to keep their winning run going. And for that to happen, Alyssa Thomas will definitely be a crucial part of their next game against the Storm. How the team responds to that game will say more about where the Mercury actually are than anything the past week produced off the court.