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The WNBA has experienced unprecedented growth, but a potential labor dispute looms. With the league and the WNBPA needing to reach a new collective bargaining agreement before the 2026 season, the possibility of a work stoppage is very real. The WNBPA opted out of the current CBA in October, two years before its expiration, signaling a fight for better terms.
ESPN analyst Monica McNutt was the latest to share some insight on the saga. She believes the players are more unified than ever. Speaking with FOS, she emphasized that the owners must step up if they want to remain part of the league’s future. “If [the owners] are not in the right group in terms of valuing their organizations and the resources that they’re providing for their athletes, then maybe they don’t need to be a part of this moving forward,” McNutt said.
Players now have financial leverage that didn’t exist in previous negotiations. Between NIL deals, overseas opportunities, and new ventures like Unrivaled, many athletes no longer rely solely on the WNBA for income. McNutt sees this as a turning point, with players determined to shape the league’s future. “There’s a conviction that this is not just about this present generation; it’s laying precedent moving forward,” she noted.
The idea of sitting out has gained traction. Chicago Sky All-Star Angel Reese hinted at it on her podcast earlier this month, while speaking with Dallas Wings guard DiJonai Carrington, a WNBPA player representative. “I’m hearing that if [the WNBA] don’t give us what we want, we’re sitting out,” Reese said. Carrington confirmed that a sitting out is “a possibility.”
