WNBA clash forces Australian basketball league to rethink schedule

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 04:24 · Archive

Australia's WNBL is considering delaying its season start to avoid clashing with the American WNBA finals.

Australia's Women's National Basketball League is considering delaying the start of its season to avoid clashing with WNBA finals, after several marquee players were ruled out of the opening matches. Reigning league MVP Isobel Borlase, Opal Miela Sowah and import Madina Okot will miss at least the opening two weekends of the campaign, which began on Thursday, as they compete in the American competition. Borlase and Okot are competing with the Atlanta Dream, while Sowah plays for the Golden State Valkyries.

The scheduling conflict arose because the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup held in September forced the WNBA to pause and resume later than planned. The American league's decision to expand its regular-season games in 2027, extending the competition until November, compounds the problem. WNBL chief operating officer Justin Nelson told AAP that later starts are being considered. 'Is there the prospect of maybe starting a little bit later? The short answer is yes,' he said. 'But how much we may or may not move is still to be seen.' The league faces a risk of losing marquee players for the opening month if it maintains its October start date in future seasons.

How it is being reported

• 'Disjointed': WNBA causing Aussie scheduling headachesOne of the WNBL's star players has labelled an overlap between the WNBA and Australia's domestic season "hard" ahead of the league's tip-off on Thursday.The West Australian · 12 Oct, 04:07
• 'Disjointed': WNBA causing Aussie scheduling headachesOne of the WNBL's star players has labelled an overlap between the WNBA and Australia's domestic season "hard" ahead of the league's tip-off on Thursday.Perth Now · 12 Oct, 04:07

In this story: WNBL · WNBA · Isobel Borlase · Miela Sowah · Madina Okot · Australia · Atlanta Dream · Golden State Valkyries

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