Tag: WNBA

Why WNBA players are opting out of the CBA and what comes next, explained

Here’s why WNBA players want out of their current deal with the league.

The WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) has opted out of the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league, starting the clock for a new deal to be agreed upon and ratified.  What does it all mean? Why is it important?

First, we must understand what the WNBPA does and what a CBA is. The WNBPA is the labor union for the WNBA’s athletes. Its main job is to protect players’ rights and handle things such as filing grievances on behalf of players, counseling on benefits, post-career job opportunities, and CBA negotiations. A CBA is a written legal contract between an employer and the union representing its employees. This agreement with the WNBPA determines salary, player-friendly scheduling, benefits, marketing, etc.

Why would the WNBPA opt out of its current CBA now?  After a historic season and a new media rights deal, there was actually a perfectly timed provision (with a November 1 deadline) to begin negotiations ahead of next season. This means the WNBPA and the league have until the end of the 2025 season to agree on a new CBA.

Here are some of the top priorities the WNBPA will want to see addressed with the league:

  • New economic model for better wages that reflect the WNBA’s growth
  • Better Professional standards across the league, including, but not limited to, game and practice facilities
  • Lifelong benefits (Pregnancy and family planning, retirement benefits

https://Twitter.com/kareemcopeland/status/1848454005611020669

How does the opt-out affect the WNBA? It instantly puts more pressure on the league to deliver and get it right.

ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike recently shared that while the WNBPA expects to complete a new deal to avoid a work stoppage, it’s prepared to take as long as necessary to ensure the best negotiations possible. (See the 1:31 mark of the clip below.)

https://Twitter.com/espnW/status/1848447432306123089

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JR Payne congratulates Jaylyn Sherrod following WNBA Finals win

JR Payne shouted out Jaylyn Sherrod after her New York Liberty won the WNBA Finals

Colorado women’s basketball head coach JR Payne congratulated her former point guard on Monday as Jaylyn Sherrod’s New York Liberty won the 2024 WNBA Finals over the weekend.

“I can’t start the day without shouting out our recent grad Jaylyn Sherrod, who just became a WNBA champ last night, so congrats to her and her Liberty team,” Payne said to open a press conference. “What an amazing series and just indicative of how incredible women’s basketball is right now.”

Sherrod is the first Colorado alum to win the WNBA Finals and is only the fifth former Buff to play in the league. She went undrafted after her final college season (2023-24) but soon signed with the Liberty. While Sherrod was waived after the preseason, she later re-signed with New York and appeared in 12 games between the regular season and the playoffs.

No player started more games (133) in Colorado women’s basketball history than Sherrod did in her five seasons with the Buffs, where she forged a close bond with Payne. The point guard was a two-time All-Pac-12 player and a three-time Pac-12 All-Defensive selection. Nut more importantly, she was the heart and soul of a core group that reached the Sweet 16 twice in her final two collegiate seasons.

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Napheesa Collier’s petty Instagram post makes the WNBA’s officials look so bad

Napheesa Collier woke up feeling petty today.

It’s safe to say that Napheesa Collier is not happy with the way the Lynx’s season ended on Sunday night.

The controversial foul call on Alanna Smith that sent Breanna Stewart to the free throw line and, eventually, allowed the Liberty to win in overtime has been the biggest talking point from Game 5 so far.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said the game was “stolen” from Minnesota with that call. If looking at her Instagram is any indication, Collier seems to agree.

She posted a photo carousel of her journey with the Lynx this season. The last three photos were of three different foul calls, including the last one that did seem like it should’ve been a no-call.

Talk about petty.

The Liberty won the series and absolutely earned their championship — there’s no disputing that. But seeing things end the way they did certainly isn’t a great look for the WNBA’s officials. That’s the thing everyone is talking about today.

Just when you thought the spotlight on the officials and their controversial call might finally clear up, here comes Collier with this Instagram post. She ain’t letting up, folks.

It’s hard to blame her. Lose a game like that and you’ll probably never get over it. We’ll be talking about that last call for years to come.

Liberty’s Sandy Brondello held back coughs smoking WNBA championship cigar

Somebody help that poor woman!

Somebody needs to help Sandy Brondello. After winning a championship, that poor woman struggled so badly with the Liberty’s victory cigars.

Admittedly, I could never smoke a cigar. These poor baby lungs of mine would never let me do it. So, whenever I see someone smoking a stogie, I’m always so jealous of them — especially one smoked after a huge victory. That seems like the best, right?

It all sounds good until I realized I would probably end up like poor Sandy Brondello, who tried so hard — and seemingly failed — to light up after the Liberty secured its first championship. In a new video, Brondello excitedly attempts to take a puff of a cigar lit multiple times, but she coughs horribly after each puff, and I just want to hug her.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBZINecPkPs/?igsh=dW85bjZoYTFtOXFk

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Liberty’s Nyara Sabally deserves her flowers for heroic WNBA Finals performance

A New York Liberty championship doesn’t happen without Nyara Sabally.

The New York Liberty would not have a championship without Nyara Sabally’s contributions, and I’m not even being dramatic.

A lot of what happens in the WNBA Finals is all about adjustments. It’s the unspoken thing that doesn’t get enough credit. For example, when Chelsey Gray and Kiah Stokes suffered injuries during the 2023 Finals, Becky Hammon threw out a starting lineup with few minutes together and a defensive scheme that neither the Aces nor Liberty had ever seen — and it worked. Another unspoken series-changing adjustment happened during Sunday’s Game 5, and it came with massive implications and a ring.

With their backs against the wall, Sandy Brondello went to her bench, throwing in Nyara Sabally. Before Sunday, Sabally averaged only nine minutes and three points per game during the Finals. However, her buckets were always timely leading up to the penultimate title game, and when the pressure was on, the 6-foot-5 center was DYNAMITE.

The former No. 5 overall pick played 17 minutes Sunday and dropped a career-high 13 points — nine of which came in the third quarter.

She also grabbed seven boards and secured a back-breaking steal on Napheesa Collier during overtime that ultimately helped shut the door on the Lynx.

Cheryl Reeve might think differently, but this was a coaching masterclass move by Sandy Brondello. Sometimes, you must do unconventional yet calculated things for a chance at postseason glory.

We aren’t talking about a Liberty championship without Brondello’s adjustment and Sabally’s unshakeable confidence on the league’s highest stage. Let’s give NYara — See what I did there? — her rightful flowers as the series’ unsung hero.

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Sunday was a bad day for Minnesota Sports Fans it turns out

Sunday was not very good for Minnesota sports fans, and that was without the Wild or Twins even playing. 

Sunday was not very good for Minnesota sports fans, and that was without the Wild or Twins even playing. They got to watch their undefeated Minnesota Vikings face off against division rival Detroit Lions and had the Minnesota Lynx playing in game five for the WNBA title.

Much to their chagrin, neither team is waking up on Monday with a smile on their face.

The Vikings’ loss comes at a much less pivotal point than that of the Lynx. The Vikings lost their undefeated record, yes, but they have an entire season and, hopefully, playoffs ahead of them. The sting will wash away much quicker than that of the Lynx.

The Minnesota Lynx shocked the world and forced a game five against the favorite New York Liberty for the WNBA title. A very controversial call at the end of the game has fans up in arms. They will have an entire offseason to let their loss sting and affect them.

For Minnesota sports fans, it is on to the next one as they play the Rams in primetime on Thursday against the Rams.

The Liberty trolled Courtney Williams with a Target bag after her Birkin quote

Oh no, Courtney.

Courtney Williams didn’t have her best performance during Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, and the New York Liberty made sure she knew it after they won a championship.

During a halftime interview of Game 4 in Minneapolis Friday, Courtney, who was having a stellar game, told Holly Rowe that she was in her bag. Williams hilariously explained, “I’m in a Birkin right now. So, I gotta make sure I don’t drop down to like a Target bag. I gotta stay in my Birkin.”

Unfortunately, she DID NOT stay in her Birkin on Sunday when the series shifted back to Brooklyn. Williams had just four points and shot 14 percent from the field. Postgame, someone masterfully left a bag with “Birkin” written on it and a Target bag on the Liberty’s midcourt logo.

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Cheryl Reeve had a scathing critique of WNBA Finals refs after botched Breanna Stewart foul

“This [expletive] was stolen from us.”

Cheryl Reeve went scored earth on the officiating crew overseeing Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, and she did not hold back.

The Liberty-Lynx series had been incredibly tight throughout the Finals. The margin of victory was tiny — less than five points in multiple games — and every basket and foul call counted. Late in Game 5, the Lynx were seemingly on the verge of locking up the franchise’s fifth championship when two fouls were called on the Lynx.

After the first foul, Breanna Stewart missed both free throws, which should have seemingly iced the matchup. But the second foul, called with just under four seconds left, sent Stewie to the line. She nailed both free throws, and the Lynx couldn’t get a shot to fall afterward, sending the game into overtime. That typically isn’t a huge deal until you see the play was called a foul.

As you can see, Stewie seemingly traveled before the foul. But that isn’t what caused an uproar. Many people, including LeBron James, quickly pointed out that the call wasn’t a foul at all. (Warning: NSFW language.)

Cheryl Reeve also thought the foul call was awful and challenged it in-game, but it was unsuccessful. As a result, she went IN on the refs during a fiery postgame presser. Here’s part of what she said:

“The officials, during the game, should have a third party because that was not a foul. That call should have been reversed on that challenge. If we sent that clip in … they would have told us that it was marginal contact. No foul. Guaranteed … that decided the game.”

But that wasn’t all Cheryl had to say. She acknowledged that the headlines would discuss her rant before adding, “This [expletive] was stolen from us.” (Warning: NSFW language.)

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Championship eludes former Notre Dame guard Kayla McBride again

Still can’t get it done.

Former Notre Dame guard [autotag]Kayla McBride[/autotag] had her best chance to win a championship yet this season. Her Minnesota Lynx had a 30-10 regular-season record and took the New York Liberty, the only team with a better record, to a winner-take-all Game 5 of the WNBA Finals.

McBride did everything she could, scoring 21 points, the second-most on the Lynx. She also grabbed five rebounds, had a team-high five assists and a game-high four steals.

It was not enough though as the Liberty won their first WNBA championship with a 67-62 overtime victory. The Lynx remain in a three-way tie for the most WNBA titles with four.

McBride is used to just coming up short by now. She made the finals with the Las Vegas Aces in 2020, but the Seattle Storm, one of the other two teams with four championships, swept that series. She went to three national title games with the Irish in the 2010s but lost every single time.

It’s a classic example of always being the bridesmaid but never the bride. Let’s hope that McBride, who turns 33 next season, can become the bride before too long.

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Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

WNBA fans made so many Ellie the Elephant jokes after the Liberty won its first championship

GIVE ELLIE THE ELEPHANT A CHAMPIONSHIP RING!

The New York Liberty are finally WNBA champions and of everyone most deserving of a ring, it’s definitely the one and only Ellie the Elephant.

The Liberty’s spirited and fiery mascot has been a fan-favorite of WNBA fans for some time now — between her dramatic personality and incredible outfits — but now that New York finally has won its first championship, basketball fans are clamoring for Ellie to get her due.

After Sunday’s win, Ellie was seen celebrating right alongside the Liberty, even falling to the court in joy after a hard-fought road to get to this point.

And as the confetti was raining down on the Liberty, WNBA fans couldn’t help but make jokes about Ellie the Elephant being a champion too.

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