Alyssa Thomas has 5th triple-double of the season as Mercury beat Storm 85-82

SEATTLE (AP) — Alyssa Thomas had 19 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for her 16th career triple-double in the regular season, and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Seattle Storm 85-82 on Sunday.

Thomas has five of the 10 triple-doubles in the WNBA this season and 20 of the 53 (counting regular season and playoffs) in league history.

Kahleah Copper scored 17 points and Sami Whitcomb added 15 for Phoenix (20-13). Satou Sabally had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and DeWanna Bonner scored 10 points.

Nneka Ogwumike led Seattle (17-18) with 24 points and Skylar Diggins scored 14. Gabby Williams had 13 points and seven assists, and Erica Wheeler added 11 points.

Ogwumike poked the ball away from Whitcomb and made a follow shot moments later to tie it at 75-all with 3:57 left in the game — the first tie since 2-2. Wheeler hit a 3-pointer with 2:20 remaining that gave the Storm their first lead of the game.

Thomas slipped a pass to Copper for a wide-open layup, Copper added a driving layup and Thomas hit a short jumper to make it 83-78 with 21 seconds to play.

Diggins had two assists and moved into a tie with Becky Hammon for seventh in WNBA history with 1,708 career assists.

Phoenix is 9-0 when at least five players score in double figures this season and is 17-1 when leading going into the fourth quarter.

Sue Bird, who helped the Storm win four championships and had a WNBA-record 3,234 assists, had a statue in her likeness unveiled outside of Climate Pledge Arena before the game. The franchise's career leading scorer with 6,803 points, Bird is the first player to have a statue dedicated to her by a WNBA franchise.

The Mercury play Tuesday at Golden State. The Storm travels to Chicago to play the Sky on Tuesday.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/WNBA

Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner reacts after making a basket against the Seattle Storm during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Storm guard Brittney Sykes (20) fouls Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, left, near the basket during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

A fan holds up their baby as others wave towels during a Phoenix Mercury free throw against the Seattle Storm during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins, left, defends against Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw isn't done pitching just yet, agreeing Thursday to join the U.S. team for this year's World Baseball Classic.

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner wanted to pitch for the Americans in the 2023 tournament but was prevented because of insurance issues. He had a $20 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time.

“I was too broken for the insurance to cover my arm and everything,” Kershaw said on MLB Network, “so now that it doesn't matter I get to go and be a part of this group.”

A left-hander who turns 38 two days after the March 17 championship game, Kershaw announced last September that he was retiring at the end of the season, his 18th in a stellar career for the Dodgers. He won his third World Series title and finished 223-96 with a 2.53 ERA and 3,052 strikeouts.

“I just want to be the insurance policy,” Kershaw said. “If anybody needs a breather or if they need me to pitch back-to-back-to-back or if they don’t need me to pitch at all, I’m just there to be there. I just want to be a part of this group.”

Later Thursday, new Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman announced he will join the U.S. team.

When Kershaw received a call from U.S. manager Mark DeRosa, he thought he was being invited as a coach.

“I didn't have a whole lot of interest in picking up a baseball again," Kershaw said. “I started throwing 10, 12 days ago and it doesn’t feel terrible, so I think I’ll be OK.”

Kershaw joins a U.S. pitching staff that includes right-handers David Bednar, Clay Holmes, Griffin Jax, Nolan McLean, Mason Miller, Joe Ryan, Paul Skenes and Logan Webb along with left-handers Tarik Skubal and Gabe Speier.

The American roster also includes catchers Cal Raleigh and Will Smith; infielders Ernie Clement, Gunnar Henderson, Brice Turang and Bobby Witt Jr.; outfielders Byron Buxton, Corbin Carroll, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Aaron Judge; and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

The U.S., which lost the 2023 championship game to Japan, opens March 6 against Brazil at Houston, part of a group that also includes Britain, Italy and Mexico.

Shohei Ohtani struck out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to end Japan's 3-2 win in the 2023 championship. Kershaw doesn't anticipate facing Ohtani, his teammate for the Dodgers' World Series titles in 2024 and 2025.

“I think something will have gone terribly wrong if I have to pitch against team Japan in the finals or something. I think we got plenty of guys to get that guy out and not me,” Kershaw said. “But if that happens, I'll be nervous. I'll be nervous at this point.”

AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw celebrates the end of the top of the 12th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of baseball's World Series, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)