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As Phoenix Mercury star forward Alyssa Thomas was snubbed from being an All-Star starter, her teammate, and starter Satou Sabally, offered some words of support following Tuesday's practice.
Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally said Alyssa Thomas should have been an All-Star Game starter.
“I think she definitely should have been an All-Star starter. I think there are a couple people who are All-Stars but not All-Star starters.”#WNBA pic.twitter.com/Zb70qJkbmC
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) July 1, 2025
“I think she definitely should have been an all-star starter,” Sabally said. “I think there are a couple of people that are all-stars but not all-star starters. We're second in the league, and I feel like we've been underrated the whole time.
“For someone like AT not to be part of it just shows that the system could be a little different, but she'll be in there. I trust in that, and we all know what she can do.
Throughout her career, Thomas has been somewhat disrespected by the public. Her game isn't overly flashy but it sure is effective. She's been Top 5 in MVP voting the past three seasons.
However, the 50% fan vote, and then 25% player and media vote was a major proponent. Thomas had the 13th highest fan vote, which didn't help her case.
Regardless of the snub, Thomas's teammates, like Sabally, see the work she's doing on a consistent basis. The Mercury are 12-5 and sit second in the WNBA standings.
The public expected them to be good, but not to be this good, and “the engine” has much to do with the success.
Satou Sabally isn't a fan of Alyssa Thomas's snub
As her teammate, Sabally wants everyone to understand why Thomas is deserving. Unfortunately, though, she mentioned the system and how players are picked.
Thomas was picked as the seventh best by media, and the sixth best by players. People inside the league see the damage she is doing on a nightly basis.
However, without a signature move or a major flashy element to her game, the common fan might steer clear of watching her play.
Still, the statistics and even advanced metrics support how elite she is.
At the end of the day, this is an All-Star Game, not an MVP race. The All-Star Game can become a popularity contest for who gets in, who is named a starter or not named a starter.
Thomas doesn't fall into the flashy category, but she sure is dominant.
Either way, there are bigger fish to fry for the Mercury. They have championship goals and aspirations. Even with being snubbed as a starter, Thomas will be a reserve for the game.
With a likely high amount of people watching the game, they might witness how the engine can go to maximum power.
