John Morrissey
Where we left off last year
2024 season: 42 points, 8th in the Western Conference
Everyone in Phoenix, whether fan or player or front office member, would love to forget about the 2024 season as quickly as possible. Having lost manager Juan Guerra, star forwards Danny Trejo and Manuel Arteaga, and box-to-box dynamo Carlos Harvey, Rising could never recapture what made them a title team in 2023. By midseason, manager Danny Stone had been fired and Phoenix's playoff hopes were in major doubt.
While it's hard to describe last year as anything but a failure in the Valley, Rising at least made a few important strides. Poaching Pape Mar Boye from the college ranks is an investment that will ultimately pay off in the form of a handsome transfer fee; the defender was an all-leaguer as a 20-year-old rookie. Signing Giulio Doratiotto out of the Juventus academy was similarly inspired. Rising also made a few midseason additions, most notably Charlie Dennis and Jearl Margaritha, that should be core pieces going forward.
By recognizing that the year had gone off the rails, Phoenix was able to find some clarity late-on. The big question is whether the lessons learned result in a return to success in 2025.
