WNBA Player Calls Out League For 'Irresponsible' Schedule

"I think this is a conversation that could also be important for the next CBA. 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. That's not really responsible for a commissioner," Sabally said.

"Other teams have like three back-to-backs. There are a lot of things that we could clean up in terms of scheduling, but we persevered, and showed that we can do it. It's just something that, obviously, along the way over the course of a long season, that's really hard to do."

While nine games in that amount of time isn't unheard of in the NBA or the W, it's certainly a hard thing for any athlete to have to deal with; and the Mercury definitely aren't alone.

The Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces both have similarly difficult schedules coming up. But on the macro level, the WNBA has increased its number of games from 36, to 40, to 44 over the last handful of seasons.

The ladies in the W seem prepared to go to battle during this next round of CBA negotiations as they push for higher pay, more roster spots and improved work conditions— a bucket that scheduling would seemingly fall into.

On top of being a two-time All-Star, Sabally is also a player representative for the WNBPA. So you know this is a topic that she'll makes sure gets to the commissioner's desk when it comes time to bargain.