WNBA veteran is (quietly) making history — and a strong MVP case

Alyssa Thomas has always been overlooked.

The longtime Connecticut Sun star, now in her first season with the Phoenix Mercury, is the WNBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles and a perennial MVP candidate who has never actually brought home the hardwood.

Could this be the year?

It will certainly be tricky, as Minnesota Lynx centerpiece Napheesa Collier and Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson are both having career years and have propelled their teams to the top of the standings. Collier (23.5 points per game) and Wilson (23.4 points per game) lead the league in scoring and currently have the league’s two best team records (32-8 and 26-14, respectively).

But Thomas has built a strong case in her own right.

For one, the versatile forward has accrued several WNBA records this season. She’s recorded more triple-doubles (7) in one season than any player in WNBA history. Earlier this month, she became the first player ever to record 3 consecutive triple-doubles. And, with 5 games left to play, Thomas is just 20 assists removed from breaking Caitlin Clark’s record for most assists in a season (337).

Then, there are the franchise records. In year one in Phoenix, Thomas has already become the franchise’s all-time rebounding leader — and is the WNBA’s third-leading rebounder, behind only Wilson and Angel Reese.

In 2023, Alyssa Thomas tallied more first-place MVP votes than any player in the WNBA, but ultimately lost the award to A’ja Wilson. That season, Thomas averaged 15.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 7.9 assists, shooting 47.4% from the field.

This season, she’s actually increased that production. She’s averaging 15.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 1.6 steals. At 32, she’s recording her highest assist average ever, as well as her most efficient season, shooting 53.9% from the field.

And, Thomas’s Mercury are 25-14, owners of the league’s fourth-best record. Without her, they are 2-3 this season. Phoenix is surging — they’ve won six of seven games — and Thomas is routinely at the center of the success.

Last week, Mercury head coach Nate Thibbets donned an “AT for MVP” T-shirt and explained that Thomas’s MVP case extends beyond the stat sheet.

“I think just her commitment to the defensive end on each and every possession… when there’s a defensive rebound, and her momentum is taking her toward the other end to start leading the break, I think that’s one of the most special things about her,” Thibbets told reporters, per PHNX Mercury.

Then, he dove into one of Thomas’s defining qualities: her seemingly unparalleled ability to secure loose balls.

“The other night, against Chicago, there were 6 seconds to go, they had a chance to cut it to two, free throw goes up, it’s a missed free throw, it’s a loose ball,” Thibbets said. “There are 6 people around the basketball, and who comes up with it? Alyssa Thomas.”

This season, no WNBA player is responsible for more offensive production (points plus assists) than Thomas. With Thomas on the floor, the Mercury have a 98.5 defensive rating. As a team, the Mercury have the third-best defense in the league, after finishing with the 9th-best defensive rating last season.

Still, it might not be enough for an MVP award, though it’d be a travesty if Thomas finishes her career without ever having received one, considering all that she’s accomplished in the WNBA.

“I think she deserves it,” Thibbets said. “Obviously, there are other people who are in the mix, too. The shitty part for her is she’s been overlooked probably her whole career, and it’s important for us to keep winning to keep that alive, in my opinion, because she deserves all the credit that she’s getting.”