"These ladies deserve more money" - LeBron James' ex-Lakers teammate sounds off after Satou Sabally blasts WNBA's grueling schedule

LeBron James
LeBron James' ex-Lakers teammate sounds off after Satou Sabally blasts WNBA's grueling schedule. (Photo: IMAGN)

Phoenix Mercury star Satou Sabally wasn't thrilled about her team's schedule, blasting the WNBA for allowing back-to-back games. Sabally's comments drew a reaction from former NBA player and LeBron James teammate Patrick Beverley, who called it part of the grind while also advocating for better pay for the women.

Ad

Speaking to reporters after the Mercury's game against the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, Sabally called the WNBA's scheduling "terrible." They will continue to play because it's the right thing to do, but she made her feelings known about playing on back-to-back nights.

"Terrible, it's like they don't care about players' safety," Sabally said, according to ClutchPoints' Hayden Cilley. "It's like they don't care about scheduling or whatever. ... 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."
Ad
Ad

Satou Sabally's comments went viral, so many people commented on the WNBA's scheduling, including Patrick Beverley. The 37-year-old guard wants the players to get paid amid tricky and tense CBA negotiations. However, he also told them that playing in back-to-back games is a part of it.

"Alright now, come on now," Beverley said. "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."
Ad
Ad

While both Satou Sabally and Patrick Beverley have a point, the issue with the number of games and the average salary in the WNBA are two different things. The schedule will only get bigger in the next five years due to the addition of new teams.

The salaries are expected to increase due to the incoming new collective bargaining agreement. However, other factors like roster size should come into play, especially if the number of games increases to nearly 60.

Ad

For what it's worth, the NBA has 82 games in the regular season. They have a higher average salary since they bring in a lot of money. The WNBA has never been profitable, but the rise of stars, increase in teams and new TV money could change all of that.


Satou Sabally wasn't the only WNBA player complaining about the schedule

Sabrina Ionescu expressed the same sentiment as Satou Sabally last month when asked why the WNBA All-Star Weekend was lackluster in terms of play compared to the past few years. Ionescu blamed the compact schedule for it, saying that they want to be better for the fans, but the league should also do its part.

The New York Liberty star added that the scheduling problem would need to be addressed in the upcoming CBA negotiations, as per the Basketball Network.

Los Angeles Lakers Fan? Check out the latest Lakers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Quick Links

Edited by Juan Paolo David
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
bell-icon Manage notifications