WNBA Star Slams Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in Candid Rebuke originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The WNBA schedule has come under fire from fans and analysts alike, who contend that the expanded 44-game slate, combined with shared arenas, creates brutal back-to-back road trips, cuts into critical recovery time, dilutes marquee matchups and ultimately jeopardizes both player health and fan engagement.
Now, Phoenix Mercury forward and WNBPA representative Satou Sabally has joined the chorus of critics, directly challenging Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after Saturday’s 89–77 loss to the Seattle Storm.
Sabally lamented, “Cathy added a lot of games. And 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.”
“I think other teams have like three back-to-back. So it’s just a lot of things that we could clean up in terms of scheduling,” She added.
Sabally stressed that consistent access to top-tier recovery tools and collaboration between the league and its players are essential for sustainable competition.
“Nine games in 18 days. How much can you recover? How fast can you recover? Obviously, we have a great staff, and I trust in that. But in previous years, it did look different for me.” Sabally said.
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.”#WNBApic.twitter.com/Ve7Azvl5h7
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) June 8, 2025
“Just making sure that all teams supply the necessary recovery tools, treat professionals as professionals, and that the league works with players instead of simply throwing us out there,” she added, underscoring that player welfare must be a priority if the WNBA hopes to maintain both its growth trajectory and its competitive integrity.
Sabally’s comments intensify calls for reform, prompting fans and analysts to urge the league to revisit its schedule, safeguarding player well-being. The WNBA is yet to respond.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.