The WNBA returns to centre court on Australian screens this season – with a host of games LIVE, FREE and in HD on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand, plus game replays.
WATCH the opening round of the WNBA Playoffs LIVE, FREE and in HD on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand with a doubleheader as Chicago Sky host Dallas Wings and New York Liberty take on Phoenix Mercury from 10 am (AEST) this Friday, September 24.
Superstar Liz Cambage leads the Australian cohort set to battle it out for WNBA Championship glory, while Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb are both looking to make it back-to-back titles.
The Playoffs tip-off on Friday with seeds five through eight meeting in round one. The winners of the single-elimination match then proceed to round two where they meet the third and fourth seed in another single-elimination round.
The winners of these matches proceed to the semi-finals where they meet the second and first seeds in a best-of-five series. Those winners then proceed to the WNBA Finals which are also played over a best-of-five series.
SBS VICELAND will show the first round of the playoffs with fifth seed Phoenix Mercury to host eighth seed New York Liberty, while sixth seed Chicago Sky go up against seventh seed Dallas Wings.
Cambage and her Las Vegas Aces team go into the playoffs as one of the favourites for the title after finishing the season in second place.
Rising star Magbegor was part of the Seattle team which was crowned WNBA champions last season and they will be looking to defend their title after finishing in fourth.
Magbegor will be joined by fellow Aussie Steph Talbot with the pair determined to continue the strong history of Australian players at Seattle.
The Phoenix Mercury are another team with a prominent Aussie contingent.
Australian Opals coach Sandy Brondello is in charge at the Mercury again this season and helped the team to a fifth-placed finish with a 10-game winning streak after the Olympic break.
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Brondello will be leaning on young Aussie forward Alanna Smith to take her game to the next level and make the most of her great potential during the playoffs.
The New York Liberty snuck into the WNBA post-season thanks to the help of Australian sharpshooters Whitcomb and Bec Allen.
Whitcomb joined the Liberty in the off-season after winning the WNBA title with Seattle, while Allen returned to New York this season after sitting out the 2020 campaign.
Should any of the six players win this year's championship, they will join an illustrious list of Australians to have previously done so.
Penny Taylor won the WNBA Championship three times (2007, 2009 and 2014). Lauren Jackson (2004 and 2010), Erin Phillips (2012 and 2014) and Whitcomb (2018 and 2020) won it twice. While Alison Lacey (2010), Abby Bishop (2010), Rachel Jarry (2013) and Magbegor (2020) each hold one ring.
Upcoming 2021 WNBA LIVE on SBS VICELAND and live-streamed via SBS On Demand
Friday, September 24
WNBA Playoffs Round 1 - Dallas Wings v Chicago Sky
10:00am – 12:00pm (AEST)
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and streamed LIVE via SBS On Demand
WNBA Playoffs Round 1 - New York Liberty v Phoenix Mercury
12:00pm – 02:00pm (AEST)
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and streamed LIVE via SBS On Demand
