The WNBA’s regular season is into its final phase, with all teams already tired after playing 35+ games in just three months. The demanding schedule allowed an average of 2.66 days’ gap between two games, including home and away games. Considering the travelling and high-intensity games, this puts a burden on the players. Many coaches and players, including Satou Sabally, voiced their concerns about these tight schedules.
Former player Rebecca Lobo even mentioned that the schedule is forcing injuries on the players. However, NBA star Patrick Beverley had other views.
Patrick Beverley Shoots Down Satou Sabally’s Complaint
With an increased number of teams and games, the league could have extended the WNBA Season. But they added just four extra days in the regular season and tried to compress 52 games into the period.
During a post-game interview after a loss against the Aces, the Mercury forward bashed the league’s schedule and blamed the WNBA for not caring about players.
“Terrible. It’s like they don’t care about players’ safety. It’s like they don’t care about scheduling or whatever. I only mentioned that one time at the beginning of the season. I know people always love to come and say, ‘Oh, you guys want to get paid more, you guys need to play all these games,’ but at some point, there’s a sports science to it. It’s honestly just like game on game on game. So we play tomorrow, and we’re professional, and we’ll do it,” Satou Sabally said in the press conference.
The player’s concerns were real, given the number of injuries in the league and the momentum shift for the Phoenix Mercury team, too. But former Clippers star Patrick Beverley had other views, and he shared a special video about it.
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“Alright now, come on now… Y’all had me, W had me. These ladies deserve more money, but come on, man. You gotta play back-to-backs. You got to. It’s part of it… I’m all with it, but don’t lose me there now,” Beverley said in the video.
NBA players play 82 games in the regular season, with an average gap of one day. Though Beverley opposed the Phoenix star’s scheduling issue, he sides with her on the pay raise point and agrees that the WNBA players need to get a hike.
Satou Sabally Not Happy With CBA Negotiations Either
The former Dallas Wings star is also not happy with the ongoing CBA negotiations. She openly called the league’s offer a ‘slap in the face’. During the All-Star game, she wore a ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’ T-shirt, showing support for the WNBPA.
With expansion in the plan, CBA negotiations hitting a rocky road, and players already complaining about the packed schedule, the WNBA needs to find a middle ground to stay afloat during this challenging period.