Game 5 wasn’t supposed to end this way. Kelsey Mitchell had just buried a deep three, her confidence soaring, before her body betrayed her. The Indiana Fever guard grabbed at her knees, limped toward the bench, and soon disappeared into the tunnel. Minutes later, she was ruled out. Hours later, hospitalized.
For most, that moment overshadowed the scoreboard. For A’ja Wilson, it redefined her press conference.
“First off, just prayers for Kelsey Mitchell,” Wilson said. “That’s my draft partner. To see her go down like that was not good.” She reminded everyone that while the Aces and Fever may be on opposite ends of success, Mitchell’s grind deserves just as much respect.
Wilson Turns the Spotlight on the WNBA’s Bigger Battle
After offering her support, Wilson pivoted. She wasn’t just talking about her friend-she was talking about the league. “I’m going to ride with Phee always,” she said, echoing Napheesa Collier’s blunt criticism of commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Moving forward, we got to continue to stand on business as we talk about this CBA negotiation.”
That negotiation could define the next era of the WNBA. The current agreement expires October 31, right before the expansion draft. Free agency in January already looks shaky. And with reports surfacing about Engelbert possibly stepping down, the league feels like it’s teetering.
Kelsey Plum summed it up on ESPN: “The more we’ve presented, the further away we are.” Players want revenue sharing tied to growth, roster expansion, and compensation that matches the league’s rising profile. The league’s proposals so far? “A slap in the face,” according to union voices.
For Wilson, this isn’t just about leverage-it’s about legacy. Mitchell’s injury was a reminder of how much players sacrifice for a league still struggling to value them properly.
So yes, Game 5 was heartbreak. But it was also clarity. Wilson’s message was unmistakable: the fight isn’t player vs. player, or team vs. team. It’s players vs. a system that needs to change.
Read the full article here
