Mercury women’s basketball team member breaks Phoenix mayor’s nose at practice

A feel-good story and a photo opportunity left Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton with a broken nose.

Stanton practiced Monday with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and ran drills with their practice squad. In one of the drills, Stanton went up for a rebound against the Mercury’s Nakia Sanford and came down with a broken nose.

He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital for a CT scan and it was determined his nose is fractured in two places.

Stanton’s office says he’s in good spirits and will meet with a doctor to determine if further care is required. The mayor issued a statement saying “injuries are just part of the game – they’re battle wounds.”

Stanton says he had a great time and can’t wait to watch the Mercury on Sunday, their first game since the end of the WNBA’s Olympic break.