Satou Sabally couldn’t hold back her frustration Thursday night. After watching her Phoenix Mercury get demolished 83-61 by the Las Vegas Aces, the forward didn’t aim her anger at missed shots or defensive breakdowns. Instead, she targeted the WNBA itself, calling out a brutal scheduling stretch that has her team playing five games in eight days.
With another game Friday night against Golden State, Sabally’s pointed criticism raises a bigger question about player safety in a league trying to balance growth with common sense.
Why Is Satou Sabally Calling Out the WNBA’s Scheduling?
Speaking to the media after the loss, Sabally minced no words when she weighed in on the schedule. “It’s like they don’t care about player safety. It’s like they don’t care about scheduling,” she said.
The numbers back up her frustration. It has been a hectic August so far for the Mercury, with the last seven days seeing them play four games. The Golden State showdown on Friday makes it the fifth in eight days. Three of these were away fixtures, creating additional travel fatigue on top of the compressed schedule.
However, Sabally’s concerns extend beyond just this week. The Mercury’s remaining games continue the brutal home-and-away approach, with a trip to Los Angeles coming soon after playing the Valkyries. They return home to cap off the month by hosting the Chicago Sky and defending champions New York Liberty.
Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally said the league’s scheduling is “terrible.”
“It’s like they don’t care about player safety. It’s like they don’t care about scheduling.”#WNBA pic.twitter.com/yBn53auroI
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) August 22, 2025
Can the Mercury Maintain Their Playoff Position Despite the Schedule?
What works in Phoenix’s favor is their strong record. The latest loss sees them slip to 21-14, but they hold on to their fifth-place standings in the league. Their 21 wins make them the fifth team to cross the 20+ win mark this season; trailing behind them are the Caitlin Clark-less Indiana Fever with 19 wins and 16 losses.
Should Sabally and company end their August stretch of games on a high, they will be well on their way to booking a berth in the playoffs. The Mercury have a chance to make another playoff run this season, and with nine regular-season games remaining in this edition, every contest becomes crucial.
On the game front, Sabally ended with 15 points on 5-14 shooting from the field and drilled just two of her seven 3-point attempts. She also logged three rebounds and two assists. The Mercury was led by Alyssa Thomas’ 17 points and 11 rebounds, but they were no match for the Aces, who proved to be a better team on both ends of the floor.
Meanwhile, A’ja Wilson’s double-double streak continued, with the Vegas mainstay dropping 19 points and 13 rebounds. Dana Evans came off the bench to chip in with 17 points, while Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and NaLyssa Smith had 12 points each. The win sees the Aces improve to 23-14 and take the third spot.
With Sabally’s consistent production this season (17.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists), the Mercury will hope to make a deeper postseason run. Only time will tell if they can maintain a good record while navigating the demanding schedule that has their star forward questioning the league’s priorities.
