Lexi Held’s Journey Back to the Mercury

Last season, Lexi Held made quite an impression during her rookie year with the Phoenix Mercury. She managed to average 5.3 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game, and back-to-back, she scored nearly 14 points in six consecutive outings.

However, in the offseason—a period marked by the WNBA expansion—Held was left unprotected and subsequently chosen as the 10th overall pick by the Toronto Tempo. Unfortunately, her time there was brief; after playing in just eight games, she clocked in an average of only 7.5 minutes per outing and struggled with her shooting, hitting just 30 percent from the field.

Recently, she was waived from the team when the Tempo opted to sign Tima Pouillet, a 27-year-old rookie guard from France.

This led her back to where it all began—rejoining a Mercury squad that has unexpectedly found itself struggling this season. In her return game, she played 15 minutes, scoring five points with a shooting percentage of 33.3 percent.

“This is a special place for me,” Held remarked ahead of the Mercury’s season opener. “Last year was amazing. The amount of effort everyone here put into me last year and believed in me, it’s really special. I’m quite happy to be back in this environment with everyone.”

She’s eager to help the Phoenix team regain some momentum amidst their difficulties.

The Mercury, unfortunately, sit among the worst in the league with a record of 2-8, losing by an average of 4.9 points per game. They’ve faced a rough patch, dropping six straight games and allowing an average of 87.9 points, which ranks as the fifth-worst in the WNBA.

“I think I can contribute just like I did last year, just with tenacity on defense and a lot of activity,” Held expressed. “I can shoot the ball well offensively, space the floor, and make solid decisions. I’m ready to do the dirty work and play hard.”

However, the Mercury will need more than just Held’s contributions to get back on track. In a recent game against the Minnesota Lynx, they faced a disheartening loss by 34 points—the second-worst home defeat in their history. Carlea Copper is currently averaging 18.5 points per game, having led the team in scoring for half of their games, yet she’s hitting just 33.7 percent from the floor and only 19 percent from beyond the arc.

Copper emphasized the importance of adhering to the standards of a champion team. “Everyone’s here for a reason, everyone has a job to do, and it’s like a puzzle. Each person must contribute what they bring to the team, whatever that may be. You’ve got to show up every night. So, I think that’s where we are right now.”