Former Arizona star Sam Thomas to play in Italy after WNBA season

The Phoenix Mercury rallied to defeat the Dallas Wings on Saturday. It was just hours after the team announced they had mutually parted ways with major offseason acquisition Tina Charles. It was a big deal for the eight players left on the team. For rookie Sam Thomas, it was just one of two big events this weekend.

Dinamo Sassari, a team in the Italian Serie A1, has announced that Thomas will be on its roster for the 2022-23 season. It will be the first season overseas for the former Arizona standout.

Phoenix is scheduled to wrap up its regular season on Sunday, Aug. 14. The playoffs begin on Aug. 17 and will end no later than Sept. 20, but the Mercury currently sit two places outside playoff contention. Thomas will complete the WNBA season before leaving for Sardinia.

Thomas will take with her the experience of playing for an Italian coach for five years. Arizona assistant coach Salvo Coppa followed his father into the coaching field after the elder Coppa spent years coaching women’s basketball in their home country.

Last season, Dinamo Sassari began play with EuroCup Women qualifying games during the final week of September. The Italian league started the first week of October. The team went 8-18 in the Serie A1 regular season.