Sonia Citron’s remarkable WNBA CBA outlook may calm fans and athletes alike

Sonia Citron is known for her basketball prowess, but also for her relatively lowkey and mild demeanor — she isn’t exactly the type of player who grabs headlines because she’s lost her cool. That reassuring attitude was on display Thursday while she spoke to reporters ahead of her senior USA Basketball debut.

Citron was asked about the ongoing CBA negotiations between the WNBA’s leadership and the players, and her answer probably isn’t too much of a surprise if you’ve followed the young Mystics guard for a while. “I think my outlook is just controlling what I can control,” she said of the ongoing conversations, which have been extended to at least January 9.

“And I, you know, we can’t really control a lot in that aspect. So I mean, I’m just, again, taking it day, one day at a time, trying to get as good as I can get, trying to get better,” she added. “And just again, working hard and training so that when that season does come, whenever it may be, I’m ready for it.”

WNBA fans can take a lot from Sonia Citron’s comments

Though it’s currently unclear when the two parties will reach an agreement, which means the possibility that the start to the 2026 WNBA season could be delayed is very real, Citron’s comments could offer a bit of relief to fans who may feel overwhelmed by the volume of conversations surrounding the topic. Signing a new CBA is important to everyone involved — from the league to the athletes to the people who show up to watch games — but it’s also a process that is just going to take time.

Citron’s comments were similar to those made by Paige Bueckers during her own interview Thursday. Though Bueckers was speaking on a different topic, she emphasized that right now, the most important thing she can do is stay as present as possible in whatever social or work environment she is in. She and Citron have displayed a lot of wisdom for players so young — Citron is 22, and Bueckers is 24.

The CBA negotiations are still quite thorny

The most recent reports on CBA negotiations appear to indicate that both parties are still struggling to make things work and to come to any kind of agreement. Most recently, the league has suggested taking away team housing and also moving the start date of training camp and the regular season up to potentially mid-March, which would likely cause problems for players who spend the offseason overseas and for WNBA rookies who will be playing in March Madness.