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Drama swirls ahead of Friday's WNBA finals tipoff

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom
Published October 3, 2025 at 10:47 AM CDT
Phoenix Mercury forward Natasha Mack (4) guards Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (John Locher/AP)
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Phoenix Mercury forward Natasha Mack (4) guards Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (John Locher/AP)

Game one of the WNBA finals tips off Friday night in Las Vegas, pitting the No. 4-seeded Phoenix Mercury against the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces for the 2025 women’s national basketball championship.

WNBA viewership has skyrocketed in recent years, but with increased popularity comes growing pains. The league players’ union is locked in a heated dispute with the WNBA, as they attempt to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. Just this week, there have been calls for WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to resign.

Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd takes a deeper look with The Gist’s Lauren Tuiskula.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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Here & Now Newsroom