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Monique Akoa Makani · To call the Phoenix Mercury a team of “new faces” would’ve been an understatement, as they entered 2025’s season opener with a nine-player rotation, none of which playing a game in the purple-and-gold prior to. As the Seattle Storm’s defense rapidly discovered during her 17-minute debut, Monique Akoa Makani had plans on making any introductions quick and to the point. Decisive in her move before Skylar Diggins-Smith can reasonably react, the Cameroonian guard uses a swift misdirection crossover to unlock a right-side driving lane before working a crafty underhand scoop through for her first-ever WNBA score. As was the case for multiple rookies leaguewide, Akoa Makani — enjoying a multi-game double-digit scoring streak immediately thereafter — used May 17, 2025’s debut to provide a precursor of what was to come. In Phoenix’s dominant win, the undrafted guard tallied two points, one rebound, one assist, and a steal. · State of Mint