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The Phoenix Mercury’s 86-81 victory in Game 4 of the WNBA semifinals eliminated the Minnesota Lynx from playoff contention. An injured Napheesa Collier watched from the sideline as the top-seeded Lynx’s postseason run came to an end Sunday.
Collier suffered an ankle injury in the closing minute of Game 3 of the semifinal series. Referees did not call a foul against Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas after she made contact with the Lynx star. The non-call prompted a strong reaction from Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve.
After a confrontation with officials, Reeve was ejected and later fined by the WNBA for criticizing officials during a postgame news conference.
During her end-of-season media availability on Tuesday, Collier read a prepared statement. Collier, the WNBA Players Association vice president and Unrivaled co-founder, took issue with league leadership.
“So, first of all, I’d like to congratulate the Mercury for advancing to the Finals, and I want to be clear, this conversation is not about winning or losing,” Collier began.
“It’s about something much bigger. The real threat to our league isn’t money. It isn’t ratings or even missed calls or even physical play. It’s the lack of accountability from the league office.”
Collier also demanded changes to the way league games are officiated.
“Since I’ve been in the league, you’ve heard the constant concerns about officiating, and it has now reached levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity in which it operates. Whether the league cares about the health of the players is one thing, but to also not care about the product we put on the floor is truly self-sabotage. Year after year, the only thing that remains consistent is the lack of accountability from our leaders.”
WNBA PENALIZES LYNX COACH CHERYL REEVE WITH HISTORIC FINE AFTER PLAYOFF GAME OUTBURST, EJECTION: REPORT
Collier acknowledged she would not have been healthy enough to take the court even if Minnesota advanced to the next round of the playoffs.
“The league has a buzzword that they’ve rolled out as talking points for the CBA as to why they can’t pay the players what we’re worth,” she said.
“That word is sustainability. But what’s truly unsustainable is keeping a good product on the floor while allowing officials to lose control of games. Fans see it every night. Coaches, both winning and losing, point it out every night in pregame and postgame media. Yet leadership just issues fines and looks the other way. They ignore the issues that everyone inside the game is begging to be fixed. That is negligence.”
Collier then recalled an interaction she had with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in February.
“I sat across from Cathy (Engelbert) and asked how she planned to address the officiating issues in our league,” Collier said. “Her response was, ‘Well, only the losers complain about the refs,'” she said.
“I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin [Clark], Angel [Reese] and Paige [Bueckers], who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years. Her response was, ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.’
“And in that same conversation, she told me, ‘Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.’ That’s the mentality driving our league from the top.”
Shortly after Collier’s news conference, Engelbert addressed the five-time All-Star’s remarks.
“I have the utmost respect for Napheesa Collier and for all the players in the WNBA,” Engelbert said in a statement. “Together, we have all worked tirelessly to transform this league. My focus remains on ensuring a bright future for the players and the WNBA, including collaborating on how we continue to elevate the game.
“I am disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership, but even when our perspectives differ, my commitment to the players and to this work will not waver.”
Collier later conceded that she would likely receive a fine from the league.
“I’m sure that they will fine me,” Collier told reporters. “I mean, it seems like anything with free speech is fined now.”
Collier’s comments come as the offseason looms, a period that will be focused on whether a new collective bargaining agreement can be reached.
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