On a night when the Las Vegas Aces celebrated their championship legacy and handed out rings, it was a new face in the WNBA who stole the spotlight. Jovana Nogić, the 28-year-old Serbian guard making her league debut for the Phoenix Mercury, delivered a performance that instantly put her on the radar of basketball fans everywhere. The Mercury’s 99-66 win over the Aces on May 9, 2026, wasn’t just a statement about the team’s resilience—it was the arrival party for a player whose journey to the WNBA has been anything but ordinary.
Nogić’s first half was the stuff of rookie dreams and veteran nightmares. She poured in 19 points on a blistering 83% shooting, including four three-pointers, and added three assists and two steals in just 16 minutes. She was everywhere—scoring or assisting on 45% of Phoenix’s first-half points and confounding six different defenders with her quick release and sharp decision-making. As ESPN Insights noted, she shot 3-for-3 on open threes for nine points and was the engine behind the Mercury’s 56-point first half. For a player who, just days ago, was unknown to many WNBA fans, Nogić’s debut was nothing short of electric.
“I’m just happy. I’m just happy to be here. The team’s great, so it makes it easy to be here and just have fun. After all, that’s what basketball is—just read the game and have fun with your teammates,” Nogić said at halftime, her joy as evident as her shooting touch. Her humility belied the impact she was having on the game and on the Mercury’s prospects for the new season.
The Mercury’s 2026 campaign opened under the shadow of roster upheaval and heightened expectations. Last year’s finals appearance set a high bar, but the loss of Satou Sabally to the New York Liberty in free agency left a significant hole. Head coach Nate Tibbets and the front office sought to address that void with a blend of continuity and fresh talent. Nogić, with her pedigree of European success and NCAA experience, was a gamble—one that paid off immediately.
“She’s been someone that our front office has talked about the last couple years. And we’re going to figure it out as we go. But she had an awesome start. I’m really happy for her,” Tibbets said after the win, giving the rookie a well-earned nod of approval.
Nogić’s path to Phoenix is a testament to both her perseverance and her skill. Born in Belgrade, she played her collegiate basketball at Providence College from 2015 to 2019, finishing fourth all-time in scoring with 1,724 points. She also set Friars records for most career three-pointers (323) and highest field goal percentage (40.8%). After her NCAA career, she embarked on a whirlwind tour of European basketball, suiting up for teams in Spain (Kadi la Seu, Tenerife, Kampos Promete, Avijenda), Turkey (Bešiktaš), and most notably Russia’s UMMC Ekaterinburg, where she won two Russian championship titles. Her recent season in the Russian Premier League saw her shoot nearly 43% from beyond the arc on 149 attempts—numbers that clearly translated to her WNBA debut.
Her arrival in Phoenix also marks a significant milestone for Serbian women’s basketball. With Nogić joining Anđela Dugalić and Nikolina Milić, Serbia now boasts three players in the WNBA—a point of pride for a country with a growing presence in the international game. The Mercury, for their part, are betting that Nogić’s blend of European polish and American college experience will help them weather the challenges of a retooled roster and a league in flux.
This season’s start has been anything but routine for WNBA teams. As Cassandra Negley, National Women’s Basketball Reporter for Yahoo Sports, explained, “Yeah, very different offseason. The collective bargaining agreement, those negotiations took quite a while. And it bleeding deep into March meant that free agency, the two-team expansion draft, the collegiate draft—they all happened pretty simultaneously in a very short window. So there were a lot of just difficulties I think and challenges for general managers in building their rosters.” The Mercury, like many teams, had to act quickly and decisively, making Nogić’s immediate impact all the more valuable.
With starting point guard Monique Akoa Makani still overseas, Nogić stepped into the starting lineup and didn’t miss a beat. She finished her debut with 19 points on 62.5% shooting, four assists, and two steals in 21 minutes. Her ability to score against multiple defenders and to create for others offered a glimpse of the versatility that coach Tibbets has sought to build around franchise stalwarts Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas. “Nogić provides the shooting the team needs to compete with the best teams in the WNBA,” noted the Mercury staff, echoing the sentiment that her presence could be a game-changer.
The Mercury’s roster still features familiar faces, with DeWanna Bonner and Monique Akoa Makani expected to play pivotal roles as the season unfolds. Bonner, now 38, brings a wealth of experience, while Makani’s defensive prowess could be crucial in tight games. But it’s the injection of new blood—especially from players like Nogić—that has fans and analysts alike curious about Phoenix’s ceiling.
Analysts remain cautiously optimistic about the Mercury’s playoff prospects. “Yes. I also think they’re a playoff team, but as we’ve spoken about pretty extensively, like to lose Satou Sabally—I can’t comfortably in the preseason see them making a deep run. But eight teams make the playoffs, and that’s still a significant number,” said Negley. The Mercury’s depth, bolstered by under-the-radar international signings, could be their ticket to another postseason berth, even if a championship run seems a taller order.
Off the court, the WNBA’s marketability rankings have stirred debate among fans. A’ja Wilson topped the list, followed by Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. The latter’s third-place ranking drew immediate backlash on social media, with fans arguing that Clark’s impact on attendance and television ratings was unmatched. “CC is by far the league’s most marketable player, and it’s not even close,” one fan posted, capturing the growing tension between traditional metrics and the new wave of WNBA stars. For now, though, it’s Nogić’s on-court exploits that have everyone talking in Phoenix.
As the Mercury look to build on their dominant season opener, the spotlight will remain on Jovana Nogić. If her debut is any indication, the rest of the league would be wise to take notice. The Serbian sharpshooter has arrived, and she’s ready to shake up the WNBA.