The WNBPA’s proposed development player program would revolutionize women’s basketball

As we barrel toward the Jan. 9 WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement deadline, negotiations don’t seem to be making much progress. In a new update from The Athletic’s Ben Pickman on Monday, the WNBA players’ union is currently proposing a revenue-sharing percentage of 30%, over double the league’s previous offer of 14%. On top of that disparity, the league and its players also cannot seem to agree on a similar number of games to be played in a season, as well as benefits like non-birthing parent leave.

While some of the proposals from the WNBPA may have to be adjusted or scrapped altogether in negotiations, one that 100% should stay is the pitch for a development program. Something like this would revolutionize women’s basketball and be so beneficial to both the players and the league as a whole. This is the first we are hearing of this specific proposal, and it’s a good one.

Players hope to establish WNBA development program

One new proposal from the players that Pickman included in this latest update was the introduction of development players in the WNBA. They are asking for each team to be able to sign up to two development players per season, who would be paid a stipend as well as a pro-rated salary on days they are called up to the active roster. There would be a limit to how many days these players could be active on the roster, and if teams wanted them for longer, they could sign them to a rest-of-the-season contract.

It’s similar to the way the NBA handles two-way contracts on the men’s side. The difference is that the WNBA doesn’t have a G-League, so the players wouldn’t be playing for two teams. Instead, they’d be involved in practices and called up when needed. In the NBA, two-way players also have a limit on how many days they can be active on the NBA roster, and can be converted to standard contracts as well.

The reported proposal from the league also includes an increase in minimum roster requirements for the league. They are suggesting raising the minimum roster requirement to 12 players from the current 11 players. Adding two development players and full rosters would increase that to 14 players. The players also want every roster spot in the league to be guaranteed, and reading into this latest update gives the impression that these development players would also be guaranteed in at least their developmental roles.

Not only would the introduction of development players be an excellent choice for the WNBA, but it’s also a revolutionary concept for women’s basketball as a whole.

Solving the WNBA’s depth problem

Another big negotiating point in these talks has been the length of the season and how many games will be included in each WNBA season. There is no way the WNBA can extend the season to 50-plus games (which is the current proposal, per The Athletic) in a year with 11-player rosters — the effects of a 45-game season were already on display this past season. There were a lot of injuries — including to the league’s stars like Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, and Breanna Stewart, who all missed significant time this summer.

The NBA plays 82-game seasons with 15-person rosters. The WNBPA’s current proposal of 12 players + two development players makes sense for a 50-plus game season.

As it currently stands, most WNBA teams have 11 rostered players, and can start signing hardship players when they dip below 10 healthy players. With no feeder teams or system, teams then dip into free agency to get players to fill those 10-day hardship contract spots. This causes players to bounce around from system to system on these 10-day deals. There is no consistency in being able to bring in players who know your system. Having a deeper roster, plus development players to call up when needed, would mean teams could bring in players who know their system, making the whole process smoother — and might even make those games, and the process of building rosters, more fun to follow for fans.

More opportunities for players out of college

The WNBA currently holds a three-round draft every year, where teams can pick from NCAA and international prospects to add to their teams. Even currently, about two-thirds of players drafted don’t end up making rosters by the time the season starts, just a few weeks later.

It almost makes the draft a little pointless beyond the first round and a half, except for a few standouts that get lucky. Once players are waived from training camp, they either try to hang around in hopes of being picked up on hardship contracts during the season, start training to play overseas in the fall, or move on from playing basketball entirely.

The WNBA introducing a development system league-wide could be revolutionary for these young fringe players who don’t get the chance to develop. When you think about adding 2 new expansion teams at 12 players each, plus 2 development players for each team, that’s 54 new roster spots that could be added to the WNBA in 2026 alone. 54 more players that will get the chance to play for teams, or at the very least, get the chance to develop their skills in hopes of making a roster in the future.

With the women’s college basketball game growing at the rate it is, and the amount of parity and skill we are seeing in the NCAA, that is just going to give more of those deserving players a chance. This also opens up the potential for more international players to come into the WNBA, which would continue to globalize the league.

This new system not only makes the WNBA’s later draft rounds relevant again, but it would mean fewer talented players would get waived from rosters before their careers have even had the chance to begin.