The Aftermath of Napheesa Collier’s Explosive Statement + Aces-Mercury Finals Preview

Zena, Ben, and Sabreena gather to discuss Napheesa Collier’s explosive exit interview statement, examining Phee’s words and the meaning underlying them from nearly every angle — what players really think about WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, the power dynamics at play and the NBA’s role behind the scenes, the physicality of the current game and the rise of injuries, the influence of Unrivaled, and the element threaded through all of this: the frustration over ongoing CBA negotiations and the potential of a work stoppage. Then, with Ben and Sabreena reporting on the ground in Vegas, the crew weighs in on the storylines to watch as the Aces-Mercury Finals match-up gets underway Friday night. Plus: who might have the edge to win it all? REFERENCES: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6677183/2025/09/30/napheesa-collier-lynx-cathy-engelbert-wnba-leadership/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6684777/2025/10/02/caitlin-clark-unrivaled-not-joining/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6677805/2025/09/30/wnba-cba-negotiations-stalling/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6681274/2025/10/02/wnba-cba-work-stoppage-union-labor/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6679057/2025/10/01/las-vegas-aces-wnba-finals-return/ 00:00 Intro 01:14 Dallas Wings move on from head coach Chris Koclanes 01:49 Unrivaled to make a tour stop in Philadelphia 01:59 USA Network to carry some 2026 WNBA Finals games 02:33 Moments from Fever vs. Aces Game 5 03:24 Napheesa Collier’s bold statements on leadership in the WNBA 08:16 Why do players view the WNBA’s leadership as the worst? 15:10 Who will be more important to the WNBA in the next 15 years? 18:52 Cathy Engelbert was hired as the first-ever Commissioner of the WNBA on 5/15/19 25:03 Officiating inconsistencies being a major concern for player safety 27:36 How can officiating improve in the WNBA? 30:41 Where’s all the WNBA’s revenue going? 37:36 The current state of the CBA negotiations 42:23 Potential work stoppage scenarios 46:06 What are the vibes surrounding Game 1? 59:08 Finals predictions Thumbnail: Elsa, David Dow via Getty Images #wnbaplayoffs #finals #cba Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com. You can also find us on socials: -Instagram: @tanooffseason -TikTok: @no_offseason -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS