Is Angel Reese sabotaging the WNBA CBA talks or is she being sabotaged?

It’s the offseason in the WNBA and after an exciting season headlined by a rookie class with stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, everyone is excited for next season as the league continues to grow in popularity. The offseason started out with the news that the WNBA Players opted out of their current Collective Bargaining Agreement looking for a better deal from the league and its partners.

The news wasn’t a shock as the players did the same thing following the 2018 season with their last CBA. The timing made sense too after a massive season which saw the league ink an 11 year media rights deal including partnerships with Amazon, Disney, and NBC Universal valued at $200 million per year.

While the WNBA Stars will be looking for improved salaries, they’ll also look for better conditions as travel and other conditions have taken centerstage over the past few seasons.

“Opting out isnt just about bigger paychecks — its about claiming our rightful share of the business we have built, improving working conditions, and securing a future where the success we create benefits todays players and the generations to come.”

WNBAPA President Nneka Ogwumike

On her Podcast Unapologetically Angel, Angel Reese spoke on the sentiments the players have amid the CBA Negotiations. If you look on Social Media, Reese comes off as the on pushing for the players to strike if their demands aren’t met as the headlines are misleading.

In actuality, Angel Reese is uttering the sentiment that she’s hearing from those inside of the CBA Meetings but, it doesn’t help when her own podcast account doesn’t provide full context.

Reese is relaying what she’s hearing from the players inside of the meetings rather than making the brash statement that the players will all sit out without the deal they want. While Reese echoes their statements, the actual clip shows the full picture but, it’s not included in the headlines. Angel Reese is polarizing to many but, she’s not the one sabotaging the league or their ongoing negotiations as she is being portrayed in the wrong context.

Whether the outlets are doing it for clicks or another reason, the overall sentiment around Reese and other players is the reason why many athletes are turning toward their own podcasts and social media rather than legacy media. Using Reese in a controversial headline will always give the outlets the clicks and buzz they’re looking for but, context matters.