Satou Sabally, Adam Silver agree on one thing as WNBA CBA negotiations continue

Jeremy Beren

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Satou Sabally, Adam Silver agree on one thing as WNBA CBA negotiations continue image

Allan Henry-Imagn Images

For once, the WNBPA, the WNBA commissioner and the NBA commissioner are in agreement.

After Adam Silver remarked Monday that collective bargaining negotiations had become "too personal" between the WNBA and the players' union, Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally concurred -- remarking Tuesday that CBA negotiations are inherently personal because of how significantly they will affect the players' lives, not just their livelihoods.

MORE: Adam Silver had six-word response to state of WNBA CBA negotiations

Speaking ahead of Game 3 of the WNBA Finals -- possibly among the last competitive WNBA games that fans will see for a while -- Sabally said the negotiations with commissioner Cathy Engelbert are "very personal," as the WNBA's top players can receive much bigger salaries if they play overseas.

This has been the case for many years, even as the league has experienced unprecedented financial growth in the past few seasons.

"The WNBA wants to forbid us from making a lot more money," Sabally told reporters ahead of Game 3 against the Las Vegas Aces. "We make more money in China, Russia (and) Turkey than here. ... It is very personal, I don't (know) why it shouldn't become personal."

Sabally, a three-time All-Star and the Mercury's union representative, has a lot on her plate beyond the frosty CBA negotiations. Phoenix down 0-2 in the finals after suffering consecutive losses in Las Vegas last week, and Game 1 of this series attracted 1.9 million viewers -- the WNBA's best ratings turnout for a game of its championship series in 28 years.

With players attempting to gain a much greater slice of the league-generated revenue pie than the 9.3 percent they currently receive, a long, hard-fought series loaded with stars on either side may only strengthen their hand in the next 23 days before the CBA expires.

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Jeremy Beren

Jeremy Beren is a freelance WNBA writer with The Sporting News. A Phoenix native, he is a graduate of Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and he has a decade’s worth of sports journalism experience. Jeremy's work has appeared in publications such as Marca, SB Nation, Athlon Sports and Vice Sports. He currently lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas.