WNBA: The All-Star Game was a moment for in the fight for a fair CBA

This year’s WNBA All-Star festivities gave us everything we love about the women’s game. We saw entertaining competitions, personalities shining and even some livestream shenanigans.

However, the weekend wasn’t just a celebration of the sport and the players who play. WNBA players met with the league on Thursday to continue CBA negotiations. Afterwards, the general consensus was that both sides appear to be far apart.

There were 40 players who participated in the meeting, including Chicago Sky star Angel Reese, who shared:

It was something that was very informative for me. First time being able to see and hear, the wording, from both sides. I was really eager to know and understand what was going on. So I’m very aware of what’s going on right now. We won’t stop until we got what we want.

All-Star festivities kicked into high gear on Friday with the Skills Competition and the 3-Point Contest, swept by the New York Liberty backcourt of Natasha Cloud and Sabrina Ionescu. Still, there were rumblings about the lack of progress made in CBA meetings and the likelihood of a lockout, even as WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert danced with players at a Friday night party.

The players ensured the focus remained on their fight for a fair deal when they took the court for the All-Star Game on Saturday. Each All-Star was seen wearing an all-black shirt with white lettering saying “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”

Once the game began, it was a different vibe from last year’s entertaining and competitive Team USA vs. Team WNBA contest.

This time around, it was a much more relaxed environment. Neither Team Collier nor Team Clark played much defense, resulting in an offensive display for four quarters. The game was not particularly close as Team Collier dominated for the vast majority of the game, beating Team Clark 151-131.

Captain Napheesa Collier dominated for her winning team. She had 36 points, went 13-for-16 from the field and had nine rebounds. The 36 points Collier scored set a new All-Star Game scoring record. Her dominance and victory made her the easy choice for All-Star Game MVP.

Even this moment at the end of the game couldn’t escape the tension rising between the league brass and the players. As Engelbert presented Collier with the award, fans could be heard chanting, “Pay them! Pay them!”

Afterwards, Collier mentioned how much the fans’ support means to the players.

Overall, this weekend was a unifying one for the WNBA. But it also served as a reminder that a negotiation is pending and things could become even more tense. No one wants a work stoppage, but that might happen if an agreement can’t be reached.

For now, we prepare to resume WNBA action this week, looking ahead to the playoff race and the eventual crowning of a champion.