Caitlin Clark has hopeful WNBA CBA outlook during NBC debut

Caitlin Clark projected a much more optimistic tone about the prospects of the WNBA and its players hammering out a new collective bargaining agreement ahead of talks Monday between the players’ association and the league.

The frustration was evident among some WNBA players during Friday’s Unrivaled tour stop in Philadelphia, but Clark said she felt “very confident” a new CBA could be worked out to save the 2026 WNBA season when she made her debut as a contributor on “Basketball Night in America” on Sunday. 

“Honestly, I don’t just think it’s a big moment for the WNBA. For all of women’s sports, I think this is one of the biggest moments we’ve ever had,” Clark told the NBC crew before the Knicks-Lakers game. “I feel very confident we’re going to get something done because we’re in this moment because of the product we put on the floor. We need to continue to be able to do that and I know everybody is working really hard.” 

The WNBA and WNBAPA are slated to meet in New York on Monday, with union president Nneka Ogwumike and other key leadership planning to attend — along with the WNBA’s labor relations committee, some owners and members of the league’s Board of Governors.

The meeting is already being viewed as a key moment, and Clark described it as “super important.” 

“I truly do believe that we’re going to get something done here in the next couple of weeks, but there’s still a lot of boxes that we still need to check,” Clark continued. 

The WNBA is already behind schedule because of the prolonged labor talks. 

Free agency is on hold at the moment, and other league business has not been conducted yet. 

The league has not responded to a proposal that the union had submitted over 30 days ago, in part, because the WNBA is waiting for a more “realistic” proposal, ESPN reported. 

“I’m just kind of upset, frustrated — all of us,” Natasha Cloud said in Philadelphia on Friday. “And in a lot of ways, just, like, disgusted with The W and how they’re handling this and their lack of value, their lack of worth for us, their lack of even trying to attempt to move the needle with us.”

While the question about whether there will be a WNBA season this year remains, Clark did excitedly talk about the direction that women’s basketball and the Fever were headed in.

Early on, Taylor suggested that there should be a game featuring Clark and the Fever at the Garden. 

“Even if it’s a preseason game, we got to get it done,” Clark said “I don’t think the Liberty will want to move a game over here, but we’ll play anybody. It will be fun.” 

Anthony, a former Knick, agreed that “we got to make that happen.” 

But before anyone can imagine Clark gracing the court at the Garden, the players and the league need to sort out a CBA.