The Phoenix Mercury brought in multiple rookies this season, and they did it without having draft picks in this year’s draft. The Mercury did their homework, and they found talented players who may not have gotten a fair shot at showing what they can bring to a team.
Some of their rookies were drafted in previous years, but they were waived and played elsewhere in places such as Italy and Spain. These players received a shot at the WNBA through the Mercury, and now, they are a part of a potentially championship-winning team.
Phoenix’s rookies have done well throughout the season, and in that time, all of them have had memorable performances.
Aug 19, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (1) dribbles against Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen (2) in the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images / Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Lexi Held is one of the Mercury’s rookies, and despite battling a serious injury at one point in the season, she returned to the court, and whenever Phoenix needs her, she is ready.
Held had some big games early on, and her best was against the Golden State Valkyries.
Back in June, the Mercury hosted the Valkyries in what was their first meeting of the season. Phoenix won that game, as they beat Golden State 86-77.
Jun 5, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (1) shields the ball from Golden State Valkyries forward Stephanie Talbot (7) in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
That was one of the few games that the Mercury played without Alyssa Thomas. She was out due to a calf injury. Despite being without one of their most consistent players, Phoenix still managed to come away with a win, and Held helped make that happen.
Held had 24 points in that game, and half of her points came from 3-pointers. She had a great showing, and she ended up being the team’s leading scorer. Satou Sabally was close behind, as she had 19 points. Held and Sabally were the only two players who scored in double digits, but the Mercury got the win and improved to 2-1 in their Commissioner’s Cup games.
Jun 5, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Kathryn Westbeld (24), guard Lexi Held (1), and forward Satou Sabally (0) celebrate after defeating the Golden State Valkyries in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
That game was not the only time that Held scored in double figures. In her debut, she had 11 points. The Mercury beat the Seattle Storm 81-59 in that game. She had a stretch in June where she had 10 or more points in four consecutive games.
Her 24-point performance was her second game in a row, as she had 16 points in Phoenix’s loss to the Minnesota Lynx. Minnesota beat them 88-65. Then, after her game against Golden State, she had 14 in another game against the Storm, and 11 against the Dallas Wings.
Held is a competitor, and she gives it her all when she is out there on the court. Her performance against the Valkyries gave people a glimpse of what she is capable of, and it will not be the last time she gets that opportunity.
Please follow us on X to read more about Lexi Held and other rookies when you click right here!