PHOENIX – When it comes to negotiations for the upcoming CBA, players and coaches around the WNBA emphasize the importance of rest and recovery while playing through tough stretches and back-to-backs in the schedule.
Satou Sabally calls out WNBA Commissioner for scheduling format
For example, the Phoenix Mercury played their fifth game in nine days, coping with the absence of Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack, who have not yet made their season debuts. Additionally, Alyssa Thomas missed the last five games due to a calf injury, and the team went 2-3 in her absence.
Phoenix Mercury forward and WNBPA player representative Satou Sabally called out WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert for adding more games this season.
“We had nine games in 18 days. That’s not really responsible for a commissioner.”#WNBA pic.twitter.com/Ve7Azvl5h7
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) June 8, 2025
The day after losing to the Seattle Storm at home, the Mercury waived guard Haley Jones, who was signed to a hardship contract just a week ago. Phoenix now has 12 players on the roster, and one or two of Thomas, Copper, and Mack could return.
Forward Satou Sabally, who is also the WNBPA team representative, called out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for scheduling the Mercury to play nine games in 18 days, especially after starting the regular season on Saturday, May 17. Phoenix is one of the three teams to play ten games, while only two teams, the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces, have played seven games thus far.
“I think this is a conversation that could also be important for the next CBA,” Sabally said. “Cathy (Engelbert) added a lot of games, and for us as players, recovery is so important. We put our bodies on the line every single time. We had nine games in 18 days. It’s not really responsible for a commissioner to do so.
“Other teams have like three back-to-backs. Hence, there are many things that we could clean up in terms of scheduling, but we persevered, and we have shown that we can do so. It’s just something that, obviously, along the way throughout a long season, that’s really hard to do.”
Coaches speak up on the scheduling format before Seattle and Phoenix faced off for the third time
WNBA games played thru 3.5 weeks (by team):
10 – Mercury, Mystics, Wings
9 – Lynx, Sparks, Storm, Sun
8 – Dream, Fever, Liberty, Valkyries
7 – Aces, Sky
Understandable why Satou called out scheduling. It’ll even out, but Phoenix is tied for most games played so far this yr.
— Natalie Esquire (@natfluential) June 9, 2025
Before the Storm faced the Mercury for the third time in the regular season, head coach Noelle Quinn discussed Seattle’s schedule, noting that they had already played the Phoenix Mercury and the Dallas Wings twice.
Some teams, such as the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty, will not face each other until late July, with their matchup scheduled for July 30. These two teams faced off against each other in a thrilling Finals series that went to Game 5 last year.
“I’m not the expert in this area,” Quinn said. “I think the league has done an excellent job and the players within this league to create an amazing product. Obviously, more games mean more winning, which means more brands, which means more everything good for business. So this is the first year we’ve just increased to 44 (games).
“I’m sure there’s smarter people than me in the room who are going to do the numbers, crunch the numbers and look at everything that comes into play, as far as player care and other things that matter, fan engagement and again, what’s best for business. So I’m just here to coach. I’m happy to be a part of this league and see the growth of this league.”
When asked about Quinn’s statement on the league’s scheduling format in the pregame, Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts echoed Sabally’s statement on playing nine games in 18 days.
Tibbetts also mentioned that one of his daughters asked him about the league standings and the current position of the Phoenix Mercury. He was surprised to find that some teams had played fewer games than his team.
“From what I understand, there’s certain nights in our league that people want to stay away from as far as filling the arena and stuff like that,” Tibbetts said. “But, for us to play nine games in 18 days is a lot, right? I hate looking at the schedule and the standings. Unfortunately, one of my daughters asked me last night where everyone stood in the standings just as far as records go. So I looked, and we’re at nine games, and there are some teams that have only played six. And everyone has tough stretches in this league.”
Notable example- the 2024 Indiana Fever played 11 games in 20 days
Last year, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever faced a tough scheduling challenge, playing 11 games in just 20 days. This grueling stretch started the season with a 2-9 record for the team.
The Fever made the playoffs with a 20-20 record after getting more rest and recovery in the schedule and having the Olympic break. Indiana also participated in the postseason for the first time since 2016, when franchise icon Tamika Catchings played her final season in the league.
This was the first time such a scheduling situation had occurred in the WNBA since 2007. A comparable situation happened in 2011 with the Washington Mystics, who had a similar stretch the Indiana Fever experienced last year, with a 1-10 record. The Mystics ultimately finished with an overall record of 6-28.
This year, the Fever have 11 games scheduled over a span of 32 days. Out of these, seven games will be played at home and four on the road. A significant advantage is Indiana does not have any back-to-backs in this 11-game stretch, in contrast to last year when it had five home games, six away games, and two back-to-back games.
“Just recognizing that we’re working really hard to get that done, and we’re not asking for anything unfair,” Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier said Sunday. “We’re asking for what we deserve, what we’ve earned, and so we’re working really hard to make really good progress as the mid season approaches, and I do think that’s a concern for us as well. You know, it’s a lot of games in a short amount of time, so that is something we’re looking at. But I just wanted to get that out there and keep that story relevant, that the CBA (negotiations) is really important. We’re working really hard to get that done. And we’re hoping the league reciprocates that energy.”
As the league expanded with new teams and increased the number of regular season games from 32 in 2021 to 44 in 2025, some teams find themselves short-staffed due to the 12-player roster limit. Additionally, some players experience prolonged fatigue and burnout from extended playing time.
“These are world class athletes and so they’re just giving their all in these games,” Washington Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson said. “And it takes a lot mentally, emotionally, physically, the whole thing. So a lot of games in a short amount of days, that’s hard. And to take it from one of the best players in our league, you have to consider that I don’t want to bring the commissioner in. I’ll just say from our standpoint, that certainly takes its toll.
“At the same point, we’re pleased with the platform that we have, and as long as we’re mindful of putting players first and helping them manage their bodies in the emotional and mental toll it takes to compete all out, constantly, we just got to be mindful of that.”
Player fatigue is the issue as a result of demanding schedules
Last year, the WNBA started offering charter flights to teams to address previous problems with commercial flights. The initiative aims to improve player safety and promote better rest and recovery. However, players are still facing fatigue from playing in demanding stretches of the schedule.
The Connecticut Sun face several player injuries and challenges during the regular season with a 2-7 record. On Friday, the team secured its second victory of the season against the Atlanta Dream. However, they suffered a significant loss on the road to the Washington Mystics on Sunday.
According to Across the Timeline, the Sun had the worst opening nine-game season in WNBA history, with an average points margin of -17.44. Just a year ago, Connecticut was a win away from the WNBA Finals when they fell to the Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals.
First-year head coach Rachid Meziane believes that some players on the Sun were fatigued during their loss to the Mystics. It couldn’t get any easier for Connecticut, as it will begin a tough stretch of five games in six days with the first game against the Chicago Sky on June 15.
It also includes back-to-back games against the Indiana Fever on the road and a home game against the Phoenix Mercury on June 17 and 18, respectively.
“All teams are in the same situation,” Meziane said. “So we have to play every two days, and maybe playing two games at home in a row can be helpful for us to build some confidence. But it wasn’t the case. So we (must) learn and prepare ourselves to fight and do better next time.”
After the New York Liberty defeated the Connecticut Sun on June 1, guard Natasha Cloud noted that the team was playing its fourth game in six days and mentioned they were “typically fatigued.”
As players in the WNBPA continue to advocate for better conditions in the league, Collier believes that demands for higher pay, roster expansion, and improved scheduling could lead to significant improvements.
“We are prepared to do what it takes to get what we deserve,” Collier said. “You know, no one wants to lock out. We want to play, but I think we need to stand firm on, like I said, the piece of the pie we think we deserve that we’ve earned, so we’re prepared for all options.”
The Next’s Gabby Alfveby, Jackie Powell and Jenn Hatfield contributed reporting for this story
