A look at the courts inside the Phoenix Mecury's new practice facility. (Photo by Mychael Ramirez courtesy of the Phoenix Mercury)
The Mercury opened the facility the day before Phoenix hosted the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game.
WNBA players have long fought for more investment in their league in many forms, including more access to resources that improve their game.
The Phoenix Mercury are setting a new standard with their new $100 million, 58,000-square-foot practice facility in the city’s Warehouse District.
“We are committed to investing in our players and providing the best facilities and resources they need to be successful, and we hope our state-of-the-art facility encourages more investment across the league,” team owner Mat Ishbia, who also owns the Phoenix Suns, said in a press release.
Players and staff have 24/7 access to the facility, which includes two practice courts named after the iconic Diana Taurasi, who is the league’s all-time leading scorer and has played her entire WNBA career with the Mercury.
RELATED: Diana Taurasi set for Olympics, trying to become first basketball player to win 6 gold medals
The facility also includes multiple spaces for strength and cardio training, a theater-style team meeting room, a hydrotherapy room, an underwater treadmill, a sauna, massage rooms, and vanity stations.
There’s also a player lounge that contains a full kitchen with a private chef, a snack bar, and a smoothie bar.
“We’ve set the bar as far as what a facility for a professional athlete looks like, male or female,” Taurasi told reporters.
The grand opening of the Mercury practice facility left the goat speechless. pic.twitter.com/vGEgfMV6Xn
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) July 19, 2024
The facility is part of the campus for Player 15 Group, which is the business headquarters for the Mercury, Suns, and the Valley Suns, which is the Phoenix Suns’ G League affiliate.
The team opened the facility the day before Phoenix hosted the WNBA All-Star Game, something Ishbia had lobbied for since taking ownership in 2023.
The sold-out game attracted more than 17,000 fans and was considered to be highly successful, drawing record viewership.
Actress Aubrey Plaza, who attended the All-Star Game, reportedly tore her ACL while playing knockout at the new Phoenix Mercury practice facility that weekend—what a way to christen the new place!
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