Napheesa Collier: ‘People are seeing that changes need to be made’

Three months after her explosive exit interview in which she called for new leadership within the WNBA, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier said that while “nothing has changed” at the league level, she remains convinced in the future as the WNBA and players’ union continue to work through ongoing CBA negotiations.

“I feel confident in the [players association] and where we are internally with our players and the future,” Collier said Tuesday in a news conference for Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league she cofounded with fellow WNBA player Breanna Stewart. “The conversation has been had now. People are seeing that changes need to be made. It’s coming from so many different directions — so many people feel this way. We’re just excited for the future.”

During her exit interview in late September, Collier read from a statement in which she accused WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert of being “negligent” in her governance of the league and said while the W has the best players and fans in the world, “right now we have the worst leadership in the world.”

Players immediately backed Collier’s statement. Indiana’s Lexie Hull said she “agreed with everything [Collier] said,” and Chicago Sky star Angel Reese responded with “10/10. No notes!” on X. WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike wrote “!!!! time is ticking and Phee speaks for me” in a social media post.

“I don’t think there’s fatigue. Obviously, there’s frustration in that both sides are trying to get what they want, but we still have that fire within us that we’re willing to do what it takes. We’re going to do whatever it takes to get what we think we deserve.”

Napheesa Collier on CBA negotiations

“I definitely wasn’t expecting it to blow up as it did,” Collier said Tuesday. “I knew people in our community would see it, but I didn’t know that it was going to gain so much traction.”

One year into negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, there have been few to no steps toward a deal, with salary structure and revenue sharing still being the main sticking points for the players.

Collier acknowledged other things the players are fighting for, such as childcare and retirement benefits, but “we definitely want to keep the rev share the main thing. That’s why you see that so much and why other things haven’t been talked about as much.”

Both sides agreed to an extension of the current CBA through Jan. 9, 2026, the second extension of these negotiations.

“I don’t think there’s fatigue,” Collier said. “Obviously, there’s frustration in that both sides are trying to get what they want, but we still have that fire within us that we’re willing to do what it takes. We’re going to do whatever it takes to get what we think we deserve.”

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She said she feels the players are in “lockstep” with what they are going after in these negotiations and what they are willing to do to get them.

Collier believes that so many players being at Unrivaled — as well as another group gathering at Athletes Unlimited — will allow for them to build more momentum together. She likened it to when over 40 players showed up to the players association meeting at WNBA All-Star weekend in July.

“To have players congregate in that way, where you can have those in-person conversations and updates like that, that does help to get things moving more quickly,” Collier said.

She continued: “Us being here in December and January until March, it’s a crucial time in the CBA. So many things need to happen in that time. Because of that, having us all in one place is beneficial. Things are going to get done.”