Mercury release 2023 WNBA schedule

The Mercury and the WNBA released their full schedules on Wednesday, revealing that Phoenix will open on Friday, May 19, against the Los Angeles Sparks.

Last season, the first under head coach Vanessa Nygaard, the Mercury went 15-21 to slip into the playoffs, where they were eliminated in a two-game series by the eventual-champion Las Vegas Aces.

Phoenix played down the stretch without future Hall of Famer Diana Taurasi, who suffered a quad strain. The team was also without its lone 2022 All-Star, Skylar Diggins-Smith, who was out due to personal reasons.

Center Brittney Griner missed the entire 2022 season while incarcerated in Russia on drug charges. She remains in Russia, and her imprisonment has been deemed a “wrongful detention” by the United States government.

Just when it comes to the Mercury’s star players, there are questions aplenty heading into next year.

Taurasi’s contract expired after this past season, but she told AZ Family’s Nick King she plans on playing her 19th WNBA season. The 39-year-old has expressed a desire to play so long as she is impactful, and she qualified in that regard last season by averaging 16.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

Griner’s availability is the furthest thing from the team’s mind as the U.S. continues negotiations with the Russian government about her return stateside.

And Diggins-Smith announced in October she is expecting her second child. She averaged 19.7 points and 5.5 assists per game in 2022.

2023 PHOENIX MERCURY SCHEDULE

Friday, May 19 at Los Angeles — 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 21 vs. CHICAGO — 1 p.m.
Thursday, May 25 vs. MINNESOTA — 7 p.m.

Friday, June 2 vs. LOS ANGELES — 7 p.m.
Wednesday, June 7 at Dallas — 5 p.m.
Friday, June 9 at Dallas — 5 p.m.
Sunday, June 11 at Indiana — 1 p.m.
Tuesday, June 13 vs. SEATTLE — 7 p.m.
Friday, June 16 at Washington — 4 p.m.
Sunday, June 18 at New York — 11 a.m.
Wednesday, June 21 vs. LAS VEGAS — 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 24 at Seattle — 6 p.m.
Tuesday, June 27 vs. DALLAS — 7 p.m.
Thursday, June 29 vs. INDIANA — 7 p.m.

Saturday, July 1 vs. MINNESOTA — 7 p.m.
Wednesday, July 5 at New York — 4 p.m.
Friday, July 7 at Minnesota — 5 p.m.
Sunday, July 9 vs. LOS ANGELES — 3 p.m.
Tuesday, July 11 at Las Vegas — 7 p.m.

July 13-17 All-Star break

Tuesday, July 18 vs. CONNECTICUT — 7 p.m.
Thursday, July 20 vs. CHICAGO — 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 23 at Washington — 12 p.m.
Tuesday, July 25 at Atlanta — 4 p.m.
Sunday, July 30 at Chicago — 1 p.m.

Tuesday, August 1 at Indiana — 4 p.m.
Thursday, August 3 vs. ATLANTA — 7 p.m.
Saturday, August 5 vs. SEATTLE — 7 p.m.
Tuesday, August 8 vs. WASHINGTON — 7 p.m.
Thursday, August 10 vs. CONNECTICUT — 7 p.m.
Sunday, August 13 at Seattle — 12 p.m.

August 14-16 Commissioner’s Cup Championship

Friday, August 18 vs. NEW YORK — 7 p.m.
Sunday, August 20 vs. INDIANA — 3 p.m.
Tuesday, August 22 at Los Angeles — 7 p.m.
Sunday, August 27 vs. DALLAS — 3 p.m.
Tuesday, August 29 at Atlanta — 4 p.m.
Thursday, August 31 at Connecticut — 4 p.m.

Sunday, September 3 at Minnesota — 4 p.m.
Tuesday, September 5 vs. WASHINGTON — 7 p.m.
Friday, September 8 vs. LAS VEGAS — 7 p.m.
Sunday, September 10 at Las Vegas — 12 p.m.

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