Sports
Disney – Exclusive Home of the WNBA Postseason – Tips Off Coverage of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google – ESPN Press Room
As the exclusive home of the WNBA postseason, Disney platforms will cover every moment of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 13, featuring the two teams from the 2022 WNBA Finals, the defending WNBA champion and No. 1 overall seeded Las Vegas Aces, and the third-seeded Connecticut Sun.
ESPN’s commentator team for the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google will be led by the main crew of Ryan Ruocco, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers Rebecca Lobo, and Holly Rowe, with analysts LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck, Andraya Carter, and other top voices to be featured.
The Sun and the Aces take the court Wednesday night to open the best-of-three-first round series for their respective game 1 matchups. The league’s all-time triple-double leader Alyssa Thomas and the Connecticut Sun host three-time All-Star Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx (6th seed) at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
At 10 p.m. ET, reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year A’ja Wilson leads the Las Vegas Aces on their quest to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02, when they host 2021 WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper and the Chicago Sky (8th seed).
The action continues Friday when five-time All-WNBA selection Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty (2nd seed) begin their quest to win the franchise’s first WNBA Championship, hosting the Washington Mystics (7th seed) at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Liberty, one of the league’s “superteams,” will face a tough first-round opponent in the Mystics – a team that defeated New York on opening day and again on the final day of the regular season.
Then, Arike Ogunbowale a top-five scorer in the WNBA the last five seasons, and the Dallas Wings (4th seed) host the 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Rhyne Howard, and the Atlanta Dream (5th seed) at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Game 2 matchups are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 17 and Tuesday, Sept. 19, across ESPN, and ABC. If necessary, the series-deciding Game 3s will be played Wednesday, Sept. 20 and Friday, Sept. 22. The WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google semifinal series begin Sunday, Sept. 24, and the 2023 WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV tips off Sunday, Oct. 8 on ABC.
In addition to featuring every game of the WNBA Playoffs, presentation across Disney platforms will include WNBA Countdown Presented by Google studio shows, as well as Hoop Streams Presented by Google WNBA digital pregame shows. Hosted by Robinson, the first Countdown special is a 60-minute edition on Wednesday, Sept. 13, on ESPN2 leading into the Mystics at Liberty game. The Hoop Streams playoffs show will be hosted by Terrika Foster-Brasby and Christine Williamson and stream on the first day of each round (1st round, semifinals, and Finals).
2023 WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google – Round 1 Games on Disney Networks:
LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck and Chiney Ogwumike
Robinson, Peck, Ogwumike
Robinson, Peck, Ogwumike
Ruocco, Lobo, Rowe
Tiffany Greene, Andraya Carter, Angel Gray
Robinson
Robinson
* Game 3 (if necessary)
*** WNBA Playoffs Presented by Google Semifinal series begin Sun., Sep. 24; WNBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV begin Sun., Oct. 8 on ABC.
ESPN Digital
ESPN.com’s M.A. Voepel and Alexa Philippou will provide live on-site coverage and daily analysis throughout the WNBA playoffs. Before the games tip off, the duo will preview each first-round series and, along with reporter Kevin Pelton, predict the playoff winners, rank the top 25 players in the postseason and debate the biggest storylines to watch. Additional coverage includes Philippou’s profile on the Dallas Wings’ Satou Sabally, perhaps the leading candidate for Most Improved Player, and Katie Barnes’ look at how Liberty point guard Courtney Vandersloot has navigated the tall task of keeping harmony on the uber-talented New York superteam. Voepel also will examine whether Las Vegas guards Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young are the best backcourt trio in WNBA history.
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Host, Analyst and Reporter, SEC Network/ESPN
Women’s Basketball Analyst
WNBA Host/Analyst
Reporter & Play-by-Play Commentator
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