Natasha Mack excited to help Mercury, learn from Brittney Griner

While Brittney Griner is out indefinitely after suffering a toe fracture, Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts has had to adjust his roster without the nine-time All-Star

Time to Shine

When looking at the roster, Griner’s presumably lengthy absence will give Natasha Mack and Liz Dixon more opportunities to play and go up against some of the best in the WNBA. Dixon signed with the Mercury last week after the team waived seven players.

For Mack, she joined Phoenix after departing from the Minnesota Lynx in 2021 and playing overseas in New Zealand, Turkey and Poland.

Now that she has the chance to show that she belongs in the WNBA, the Texas native can cement her place in the Mercury’s starting lineup until Griner comes back healthy.

“My teammates encouraged me like ‘Yeah Mack, let’s get it, you are doing good,’ [them] believing in me, even through the little mistakes,” Mack said at the Mercury’s practice on Thursday. “They are bringing life to me and I love it.”

In her first WNBA game in two years, Mack was tasked with defending superstar A’ja Wilson and the back-to-back champions, the Las Vegas Aces, on Tuesday. Mack played 20 minutes, finishing with two points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks. On the other hand, Wilson scored 30 points and tagged along 13 rebounds in the 89-80 Aces victory.

While they did fall in their first game of the season, Mack was encouraged by her performance and grateful to play against someone she has looked up to.

“That’s one of my favorite players, so like to play against her and learn her game was amazing,” Mack said. “Glad she didn’t take it easy, she gave me a taste of what the league is like and I appreciate that.”