WNBA fines Mercury $10K after players skipped media session following Finals loss to Sky

Jason Owens
·Staff writer
·1 min read
20

The WNBA announced on Tuesday that it fined the Phoenix Mercury $10,000 for violating the league's media policy.

Mercury players declined to meet with media after Sunday's Game 4 loss in the WNBA Finals to the champion Chicago Sky.

"The fine results from Mercury players not participating in Sunday's postgame media availability following Game 4 of the WNBA Finals," a league statement reads.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 13: (L-R) Skylar Diggins-Smith #4, Shey Peddy #5, Brittney Griner #42, Diana Taurasi #3 and Brianna Turner #21 of the Phoenix Mercury walk down the court during the second half in Game Two of the 2021 WNBA Finals against the Chicago Sky at Footprint Center on October 13, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mercury defeated the Sky 91-86 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Mercury players didn't speak with media after losing the WNBA Finals. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Head coach Sandy Brondello held a news conference and spoke with media after Sunday's decisive Game 4 saw the Sky secure the franchise's first championship. But the rest of the team boarded a bus and left Wintrust Arena without providing comment.

It's protocol in the WNBA and generally across professional sports for members of winning and losing teams to speak with media postgame.

Diana Taurasi was reportedly really upset

Mercury star Diana Taurasi also reportedly damaged the visiting locker room door at Wintrust Arena.

The Next Hoops' Alex Simon reports that a witness told him the damage "came from Taurasi slamming the door multiple times."

Taurasi spoke with media members on Monday. She neither confirmed nor denied that she broke the door.

"There were a lot of doors in there," Taurasi said, per Business Insider's Meredith Cash.

The Sky brought the door to their championship parade on Tuesday in an apparent jab at Taurasi, a notorious trash talker.