Adam Silver Confirms Collective Bargaining Agreement in the WNBA Despite Tensions
STAMFORD, Conn. – NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has assured that a new collective bargaining agreement will be reached with the WNBA players, although he acknowledged the need to repair relations after recent criticism directed at Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Tensions reached their peak last week when Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier expressed strong criticism of the league’s leadership, a fact that threatened to overshadow the WNBA Finals between Las Vegas and Phoenix.Engelbert has also expressed confidence in reaching a new agreement, although not necessarily before the October 31 deadline. League and players’ association negotiators are expected to meet in the coming days. The players are seeking significant changes following the WNBA’s notable growth in recent seasons, and some have expressed their frustration with Engelbert, although not with the same intensity as Collier. Silver acknowledged that, while Engelbert has overseen historic growth in the league, there are relationship issues that need to be addressed. He expressed confidence in the league’s ability to solve these problems and continue its upward trajectory. Silver made these statements at NBC Sports headquarters, where the network’s return to broadcasting the league this season was discussed. It was also confirmed that NBC will broadcast the WNBA Finals in 2026. Derek Fisher, former Lakers player and former president of the National Basketball Players Association, commented that it is unusual to see someone express themselves as Collier did during the negotiations, but understood the reasons.“There’s no doubt the WNBA is experiencing growing pains, and it’s unfortunate that this is happening right when their most important games and the Finals are being played,” Silver said.
Adam Silver
Fisher added that in high-level negotiations, a level of distrust is sometimes reached due to poor communication. However, he emphasized that until an agreement is reached, the nature is adversarial. Silver insisted that an agreement would be reached. Fisher senses that WNBA players feel they haven’t been valued enough and that there is a disconnect with the league’s management. “I think the W could have gotten to this point sooner,” Fisher said. “Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have re-accelerated the growth, but this league has always been special. And I think the players are just saying we can’t allow some of the things that have taken place in our 27-year history to continue. We don’t want to leave the girls of the next 20 years in the position we were in when we had no influence.”“It’s not the usual, but those were the feelings many times,” Fisher said, who has also been a coach in the WNBA.
Derek Fisher
