💰 MONEY MOVES

 “WE HAVE THE WORST LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD.”

Throughout the year, we’ve discussed the road to CBA negotiations. And now that we are weeks away from the CBA’s expiration, one of the WNBA’s biggest stars has laid plans the issues players are facing as they fight for a better league.

Napheesa Collier wears many hats. Franchise player. Brand ambassador. Unrivaled co-founder. And perhaps most importantly, she is a Vice President in the WNBPA. All of those roles came to a head following the Lynx’s postseason exit, thanks in part to the torn ligaments in her ankle and a torn muscle in her shin after a late-game collision with Alyssa Thomas.

Collier conducted her exit interviews on Oct. 1, and she shook up the professional sports landscape with her remarks.

The interview video is worth watching, and this part in particular stood out:

“I have the privilege of watching my husband run a league where he has to balance 100 different things at once. I won’t pretend the job is easy, but even with all of that on his plate, he always takes the time to reach out to players when he sees an injury, whether it’s Unrivaled or even during the WNBA season. That is what leadership looks like. It’s the human element. It’s basic integrity, and it’s the bare minimum any leader should embody. But do you know who I haven’t heard from? Cathy. Not one call, not one text.

Instead, the only outreach has come from her number two, telling my agent that she doesn’t believe physical play is contributing to injuries. That is infuriating, and it’s the perfect example of the tone deaf, dismissive approach that our leaders always seem to take.”

Erica L. Ayala, Roberta F. Rodrigues, and I discussed Phee’s press conference and the ramifications stemming from it:

In any supervisory role, relationship building is an absolute must. You have to be kind, open, and respectful to the people in your employ and make sure they feel heard and understood. Even if you don’t interact with someone frequently, being open and present in the few times you do connect is of the utmost importance. If you fail at that task, you risk creating a sense of distrust among the people you are supposed to represent.

Later that night, Sports Business Journal reported on speculation Engelbert will step down as Commissioner following the completion of CBA negotiations, in part because she hasn’t established positive relationships with players around the league. Players have gone on record saying NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is more accessible to W players than Engelbert is as Commissioner. Engelbert has not endeared herself to the workforce during her time as Commissioner, and it appears we might have reached a point of no return.

Earlier in the day, the WNBA announced that they signed a new TV deal with the NBCUniversal spinoff, Versant, to broadcast games as part of a reworking of the big 11 year, $2.2 billion media rights contract that was signed in 2024. The league has been signing big TV deals while positioning themselves as being unable to meet the players’ needs in negotiatons, a fact that has not gone unnoticed.

“I mean, it’s something that they continue to do,” Collier said. “But in the same breath, they cry that they don’t have enough money to pay the players, that they don’t have the sustainability to pay the players when they’re selling teams for $300 million, when valuations are going up to almost half a billion dollars. It doesn’t make sense to us. It’s why we’re fighting so hard in our CBA and what we’re gonna continue to fight for.”We’ve reached an inflection point in the WNBA. The league continues to succeed at the box office and has its first-ever seven-game Finals starting. It should be a time of great celebration and excitement about what the future holds for the league.

However, all of the issues bubbling underneath the surface have come to light in the most public and dramatic of ways. League leadership has not done enough to address player concerns, and now they’ve been forced into a situation where they have no chance but to face them head-on in front of the world.

Commissioner Engelbert will do her usual media address prior to the start of the Finals on Oct. 3. You can rest assured she’ll be asked about Collier’s comments as well as the state of CBA negotiations.

This story is FAR from over, and we’ll keep you updated here at the Women’s Basketball Roundup.

🏆 THE FINALS ARE HERE!

WHO WILL REACH THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN IN 2025?

It’s been the longest season in WNBA history. The season stretched out to a record 44 games, and we dealt with our fair share of records broken, injuries, controversies, and everything else imaginable. All of that has led us to this moment. On one side is a former champion returning after a one-year absence; on the other, a new contender seeking to make history.

The Phoenix Mercury are back in the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2021. In the first year of their new era, they are way ahead of schedule and have established themselves as contenders now and in the future.

Phoenix punched its ticket to the Finals after beating the Minnesota Lynx in a tough four-game series. It’s been a run of a lifetime for Alyssa Thomas, as she is making her third trip to the WNBA Finals and hopes this time she can finish the story and capture her first championship.

Satou Sabally is making her Finals debut and has steadily improved throughout the postseason. Sabally is averaging close to 18 points a night and has taken on the role of number two scoring option for Phoenix and has been someone Nate Tibbets has counted on in big situations. The Merc also relies on big-time contributions from former WNBA champions Kahleah Copper, Sami Whitcomb, and DeWanna Bonner.

After falling to the New York Liberty in the second round of the 2024 Playoffs, it looked as if the Las Vegas Aces’ championship-winning days were numbered. The Aces made one big move in the off-season by acquiring Jewell Loyd, but Loyd struggled for much of the season and moved to the bench in July. In August, they turned their season around and went on a franchise record 16-game winning streak to end the regular season.

Led by the four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, the Aces have found their rhythm and have a chance to capture their third championship in four years. Jackie Young has been essential to this run and is the perimeter player Becky Hammon trusts the most in crunch time. From there, Hammon will count on timely buckets from Chelsea Gray as well. The playoffs have been a test for this veteran group, as they’ve been taken to the limit by both the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever in two classic closing games.

Rebounding will tell the story of this series. In the playoffs, the Aces are seventh (out of eight teams) in rebounding while the Mercury are third. Although they won Game 5, the Aces were outrebounded by 19 by a shorthanded Fever team. Allowing second or third chance opportunities against a great team is a recipe for disaster, and the Aces will have to make sure they address their rebounding woes in a hurry.

Another big story will be how the Aces defend Phoenix’s inverted pick and rolls. Coach Tibbetts ran it to tremendous success in the previous matchups, and the Mercury will try to press that button as often as possible.

The Aces’ guards will need to be at their very best defensively to slow down one of Phoenix’s favorite actions. If they can, they’ll get back to the top of the mountain. If they can’t, the Mercury will get their first championship since 2014.

The Finals promise to be incredibly exciting, and they tip off on Friday night!

WHAT WE’RE READING

At Black Rosie Media, we love to give flowers to other writers and creators in the women’s basketball community.

Here’s what we’re reading:

• Brooklyn Basketball gets an assist from Nets and Liberty by Brian Fleurantin, Netsdaily

• WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert is under fire, but the NBA is the real power worth challenging by Lindsay Gibbs, CBS Sports

• Salaries aren't the only issues WNBA players carry into CBA negotiations by Mat Rutkowski, Fansided

• Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix's Mercurial Superstar by Andrew Giuntini-Haubner, No Cap Space

• Another Dominant Lynx Season Ends in “What If?” by Mitchell Hansen, Canis Hoopus

• It's more than basketball, Valkyries are creating community by Kiki, Valkyrie Nation

• WNBA coaches, players won't stop talking about inconsistent officiating. But is the league listening? by Cassandra Negley, Yahoo Sports

• We Could Probably Be More Considerate About What Young Thug's Going Through by Andre J. Gee, More Fire

🪽 A COACHING CHANGE IN DALLAS

It’s never easy being a first-year head coach. You need to get familiar with your players, and they need to become comfortable with you and your style. It’s a lot to do in your first year — and while some have done it successfully, that hasn’t been the case in Dallas.

Chris Koclanes never really found his footing with the Dallas Wings in 2025. Between the team’s barrage of injuries, roster turnover, and personality clashes with key contributors, Dallas never really showed its potential, struggling to a league-worst 10-34 record. Those stats and the list of head coaching candidates on the market combined cost Koclanes his head coaching job as announced Tuesday.

After thanking Koclanes for his contributions to the organization, Wings General Manager Curt Miller said:

“With new team facilities being built, a youthful roster under contract, and the rights to three first-round draft selections over the next two seasons, including a lottery pick in 2026, the Wings are well-positioned for future success.

As we enter a pivotal point in our team’s future, we felt a change in leadership at this time was best for our organization. The Dallas Wings remain dedicated to their pursuit of WNBA Championships and building upon the strong culture established on and off the court.”

Dallas is currently in a pretty intriguing spot. Led by Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, the aforementioned lottery pick in 2026, and with a new multipurpose practice facility opening in 2026, Dallas has a chance to show prospective coaches and free agents that they are on the right track to become a place where you can thrive.

Players tend to have success once they leave Dallas, so it’s up to Curt Miller and Greg Bibb to fix their reputation so they can contend. “It’s not a rebuild,” and the Wings are going to need to take significant steps forward as soon as possible.

⛹🏽‍♀️ UPCOMING GAMES

Here’s the schedule for the next few days (Eastern Standard Time)

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