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Silver says WNBA deal will get done, but relationship issues with the players must be repaired

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has also said a new deal will get done, albeit not necessarily by the Oct. 31 deadline.

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Chelsea Gray

LVA G #12

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Chelsea Gray added 10 points (4-of-9 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), eight rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, three blocks and one three-pointer in the win over the Mercury on Sunday.

The former Finals MVP put her playmaking skills on display for a second straight game against Phoenix, reaching double figures in assists and finishing with a game-high in that department. Unlike in Game 1, however, Gray found her touch as a shooter on Sunday — she shot efficiently and scored in double digits following a 2-of-7 showing from the field in her opening game. Her defensive performance was equally impressive, utilizing timing and quick hands to repeatedly poke the ball away from Mercury ballhandlers and scorers. As a result, Gray recorded a double-double, combined for six stocks, and put together a stellar two-way performance to help the Aces take a 2-0 series lead.
Jackie Young

LVA G #0

Jackie Young finished Sunday’s win over the Mercury with 32 points (12-of-20 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs), eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and three three-pointers.

Young made history on Sunday as she recorded the highest-scoring individual quarter of any player in WNBA playoff history. The record-setting third-quarter had the All-Star guard tallying 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting to push the Aces’ lead from nine points at halftime to 15 points going into the fourth quarter. She managed two more points in the final frame to finish with a game-high, helping lead the Aces to a 2-0 series lead in the WNBA Finals.
A'ja Wilson

LVA C #22

A’ja Wilson recorded 28 points (13-of-23 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), 14 rebounds, three assists and one steal in the Aces’ win over the Mercury on Sunday.

The four-time MVP didn’t need a three-pointer or much help from the free-throw line to crack the 20-point mark for the eighth time this postseason, as she dazzled in the midrange and repeatedly got to the rim against the Mercury’s defense. In addition to her efficient scoring, Wilson’s work on the glass also led to a second consecutive double-double to begin the series. She’ll have a chance to extend her streak to three games when the Aces try to take a 3-0 series lead over the Mercury in Wednesday’s Game 3.
Alyssa Thomas

PHX F #25

Alyssa Thomas amassed 10 points (5-of-9 FGs), six rebounds, five assists and three steals in Sunday’s loss to the Aces.

Thomas had a relatively quiet game on Sunday as the Mercury dropped their second game of the series. The do-it-all forward barely made it to double figures as a scorer, while tallying her fewest assists of the postseason and tying a postseason low in rebounds. Thomas battled foul trouble throughout much of the game, which arguably could’ve taken away from her aggressiveness. Nevertheless, the MVP finalist has not had a dominant performance through two games in the Finals matchup, and Phoenix will likely need one of her signature performances in Wednesday’s Game 3 if it wants to avoid falling behind by three games.
Satou Sabally

PHX F #0

Satou Sabally tallied 22 points (7-of-19 FGs, 6-of-7 FTs), nine rebounds, two assists and two three-pointers in Sunday’s loss to the Aces.

Despite shooting inefficiently, Sabally was one of Phoenix’s better offensive performers in Game 2. The veteran wing crossed the 20-point mark for the fourth time in the last five games with the help of a 10-point fourth quarter. Sabally also got involved on the glass, where her nine defensive boards almost led her to a double-double on the afternoon. While she looks to be more efficient in Wednesday’s Game 3, another high-scoring performance would likely benefit Phoenix as it looks to avoid falling behind three games to none.
Kahleah Copper

PHX G-F #2

Kahleah Copper totaled 23 points (9-of-18 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), three rebounds and three three-pointers in Sunday’s loss to the Aces.

For a second straight game, Copper came out aggressively. The former Finals MVP drained three first-quarter triples as part of a 15-point first half in which she led the Mercury in scoring. Unlike in Game 1, she mostly kept her foot on the gas in Game 2 by tallying eight more points after halftime to conclude with a team-high. Sunday marked the second straight game of at least 20 points for Copper, which came on efficient shooting both inside and outside the arc. The Aces haven’t yet proven able to limit the versatile wing’s production — she’ll have a chance to record another productive game on Wednesday.
Kahleah Copper

PHX G-F #2

Kahleah Copper registered 21 points (7-of-12 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), four rebounds, one assist and five three-pointers in Friday’s loss to the Aces.

Copper, in her first WNBA Finals appearance since capturing the Finals MVP award with the Chicago Sky back in 2021, was in championship form for the first half of Friday’s game. The veteran wing wasted no time getting acclimated, scoring 19 points in the opening couple of quarters, where she tallied five made three-pointers — the three-point barrage made up more than half of Phoenix’s eight threes through the opening half. Yet, Copper cooled off after halftime and scored only two points the rest of the way on 1-of-4 shooting. She still finished with a team-high in points on the evening and has now reached 20 or more points in three of the Mercury’s eight playoff games thus far.
Satou Sabally

PHX F #0

Satou Sabally added 19 points (6-of-12 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), four rebounds, four assists and three three-pointers in the loss to the Aces on Friday.

Sabally had the hot hand on Friday and was impactful on offense for most of Game 1, despite dealing with foul trouble. The versatile forward ultimately logged 31 minutes, utilizing the three-point shot to finish just shy of 20 points. She concluded as one of Phoenix’s top playmakers on the evening, as well, while proving to be a tough cover for the Aces’ defense. Sabally has now tallied at least 19 points in four consecutive playoff games, but saw her streak of 20-point games end at three. The Mercury would benefit from another productive offensive showing from her in Sunday’s Game 2.
Alyssa Thomas

PHX F #25

Alyssa Thomas recorded 15 points (7-of-10 FGs, 1-of-4 FTs), 10 rebounds, nine assists and one block in the loss to the Aces on Friday.

The MVP finalist had another impactful performance. Thomas, in her third Finals appearance, started the game off strong as a scorer before taking on more of a playmaking role up until the fourth quarter. Thomas scored six points in the frame but missed a pair of free throws down the stretch as the Mercury trailed by one point with just over 24 seconds remaining in regulation. Adding to a productive but imperfect night, she turned the ball over five times, which made up nearly half of her team’s total. Thomas still had a productive game overall and finished one assist shy of a triple-double. She’ll be counted on for more two-way production in Sunday’s Game 2.
A'ja Wilson

LVA C #22

A’ja Wilson amassed 21 points (7-of-16 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs), 10 rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks in the win over the Mercury on Friday.

Wilson started her fourth WNBA Finals appearance with a productive two-way performance. She shot well inside the arc and utilized the free-throw line to finish as one of two Aces players with at least 20 points on the evening, while her rebounding led all Las Vegas players. The four-time MVP didn’t dominate throughout the contest, but she showed poise on the offensive end and allowed her hot-handed teammates to operate effectively, as she contributed to their success by tying a 2025 postseason high in assists. Wilson made her usual impact on the defensive end and ultimately concluded with a strong overall performance to give the Aces a 1-0 series lead.

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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Friday there’s work to be done to repair relationships with players in the league, while adding that there were “inaccuracies” in some of the comments attributed to her by Napheesa Collier in a blistering assessment earlier this week.

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A’ja Wilson and Dana Evans lead Las Vegas Aces past Phoenix Mercury 89-86 in WNBA Finals opener

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Aces and Mercury overcame challenges to reach the WNBA Finals

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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to speak for 1st time since Napheesa Collier’s blistering comments

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Caitlin Clark says Collier made ‘valid’ points and Commissioner Engelbert hasn’t contacted her

The Indiana Fever guard spoke publicly Thursday for the first time since All-Star weekend and acknowledged Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier made “valid” points when she took her complaints about WNBA executives public.