Former Arizona forward Sam Thomas signed to injury replacement contract by Phoenix Mercury

Getting opportunities in the WNBA is difficult. If she didn’t know it before, former Arizona standout Sam Thomas learned when she made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2022 only to be one of the last cuts by the Mercury before the 2023 season. Now, she has another opportunity.

Thomas signed an injury replacement contract with the Mercury on Wednesday prior to the team’s game against the Las Vegas Aces. That game tips off at 12:30 p.m. MST in Phoenix on NBATV.

The Mercury have struggled this season, going 2-8 to start the year. The team recently got Shey Peddy back from an Achilles injury she suffered last season, but they almost immediately started losing other players. They are currently without Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, and Skylar Diggins-Smith. Griner is out with a hip injury while Taurasi has a hamstring issue. Diggins-Smith has been out all season on maternity leave.

Thomas played sparingly for the Mercury last season but was named to the AP All-Rookie team. After the season, she went to Italy to play for Dinamo Sassari. In 28 league games, she averaged 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per contest. In 10 games in EuroCup competition, she 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.0 steals.