How Shay Ciezki plans to use her biggest lesson from training camp in the regular season

The undrafted rookie arrived in Phoenix on a training camp contract after finishing her college career at Indiana and competed for one of the final roster spots on a veteran-laden Mercury team built around stars like Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper.

Ciezki showed enough during the preseason roster cuts that the Mercury waived her, but not enough to warrant one of Phoenix’s two developmental contracts, which left the organization with the opportunity to continue investing in the promising young guard.

“I definitely had some tears,” Ciezki told PHNX Mercury’s Stephen PridGeon-Garner about finding out she got the contract. “…I am filled with gratitude.”

Phoenix Mercury’s Shay Ciezki (5) passes the ball to a teammate against Chicago Sky on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The developmental contracts were part of the league’s new CBA and allowed teams to carry two on their books for continued development. The addition also gives franchises more flexibility to invest in young talent, and gives players a more stable environment to develop without having to look for opportunities elsewhere immediately.

Now with a spot in the organization, Ciezki said her biggest takeaway from preseason was learning how much value is in the little things.

“I think the biggest lesson is don’t focus so much on the basketball part of it, but the intangibles,” Ciezki said. “What you will do for the team and how big of an impact that is, even if it’s really small.

Big moments shouldn’t be forced, said the rookie, who’s learned from Phoenix’s veterans about the importance of communication, effort and energy.

“Just talking on defense, being where you need to be, being the energy guy. “The little stuff,” said Ciezki. We got the ATs [Alyssa Thomas]. We got Kahs [Kahleah Copper]. We have our guys. “So, the biggest thing is just how can we help them and how can we support them as much as possible.”

Getting Ciezki to buy into that mentality early will be as important as anything he does on the court to open the regular season. Betting on continuity with veterans is forcing younger players to learn how to make an impact without the ball in their hands.

Phoenix Mercury’s Shay Ciezki (5) drives the ball up court against Chicago Sky on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

For developmental players in particular, knowing spacing, defensive positioning and how to complement star talent can often be the difference in how quickly they earn trust within the organization.

With Ciezki starting her pro career in Phoenix, her willingness to accept those smaller responsibilities could ultimately be the key to how quickly she earns a bigger role with the Mercury.