A team's chemistry tends to be broken when losing an important player during the season, yet the Phoenix Mercury team sees an opportunity to show that their unity transcends individual players.

The Phoenix Mercury has adjusted to the departure of rookie guard Jovana Nogić, who is out for the rest of the 2026 season for personal reasons. In a video posted on the team's official X account, Sha Carter talked about the response to the shake-up in the locker room.

"When you have a lot of different personalities, it's hard to find uniformity, and you don't want everyone to be the same," Carter said. "The fact that we are all different is special. Some people are more reserved, which might sound odd, but it works for us."

Carter’s comments show a team that has had to rely on chemistry more than continuity during this season. In only 16 games played, Nogić became the third-highest scoring player for Phoenix with averages of 10.4 points per game and an impressive shooting percentage of 42.1% from beyond the arc.

This isn't the only adjustment Phoenix has faced recently. Nogić herself addressed her departure in a team statement, saying, "This was not an easy decision. I love Phoenix, our organization, and our fans. The Mercury community made me feel welcome from day one, and I look forward to returning to Phoenix next season."

Her departure comes on the heels of a tough period for the team, which is currently at 7-13, eighth in the Western Conference following a 4-12 start under their head coach, Nate Tibbetts.

Kahleah Copper has been leading the way offensively with an average of 19.2 points per game, while Alyssa Thomas keeps dishing out the assists at 8.4 per night.

Adding to Phoenix's growing list of absences, another frontcourt setback has now sidelined a key contributor.

Natasha Mack's Injury Adds to Phoenix's Frontcourt Concerns

The Mercury announced Monday that center Natasha Mack will remain out indefinitely after suffering a bone bruise in her left foot.

The team confirmed in a press release, "Natasha Mack will be out after sustaining a bone bruise in her left foot. She will be re-evaluated in two to four weeks."

This timeline means that Phoenix loses one of its most consistent players for a crucial time in the middle of the season.

The Mercury added, "She will be re-evaluated in two to four weeks," signaling this absence could stretch well into next month.

This injury becomes difficult for Mack to bear owing to her performance this season. Being 6 feet 3 inches tall, she is the center player for this year and has played 18 games this year, recording career highs in 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 blocks with 60.9% shooting.

It is not yet known exactly how Mack got injured, but Phoenix has stated that she last played on June 22 against the Indiana Fever. Two days later, the team had announced her as inactive for their next game against Indiana.

Now that Mack is out, who will fill her shoes in the frontcourt for Phoenix?

Read More at Her Sports Nation!

Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta