Silver Confirms WNBA CBA Agreement: Challenges and Growth in the Women’s League

Adam Silver Secures New Collective Bargaining Agreement in the WNBA Despite Tensions

STAMFORD, Conn. – NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has confirmed that a new collective bargaining agreement will be reached with the WNBA players, although he acknowledged the need to address and improve internal relations following recent criticism directed at Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. These tensions reached their peak last week when Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier expressed harsh criticism of the league’s leadership, which threatened to overshadow the WNBA Finals between Las Vegas and Phoenix, which began days later.

“There’s no doubt the WNBA is experiencing challenges in its growth, and it’s unfortunate that this is happening right when their most important games and the Finals are at stake,” Silver stated on Monday. “We’ve had two fantastic games so far, and we want to celebrate the game at this moment, but then we’ll have to sit down with the players and negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.”

Adam Silver

Engelbert has also assured that a new agreement will be reached, although not necessarily by the October 31 deadline. The league and players’ association negotiators are expected to meet this week. The players are seeking significant changes following the enormous growth of the WNBA in recent seasons, and some have expressed their frustration with Engelbert, although not with the same vehemence as Collier, who was runner-up in the league’s MVP voting. Silver acknowledged that, while Engelbert has overseen historic growth in the league, there are issues that need to be addressed with the players, not only in economic terms, but also in relationships. He expressed confidence that they will be able to solve these problems over time and that the league will 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. They will also televise the WNBA Finals in 2026. Derek Fisher, former Lakers player and former president of the National Basketball Players Association in 2011, when the league and the union failed to reach an agreement in time, which reduced the season to 66 games, commented that it is unusual to see someone express themselves as Collier did during the negotiations, but he understood the reason.

“It’s not normal, but those were the feelings many times,” said Fisher, who also coached in the WNBA and will be one of NBC’s analysts for the NBA coverage.

Derek Fisher

Silver insisted that an agreement would be reached. “We will reach an agreement with the players. There is a lot of work to be done, but of course, we will achieve a new collective bargaining agreement,” he stated. Fisher suggested that WNBA players feel they haven’t been valued enough and that there is a disconnect with the league’s management. Fisher added that he believes the WNBA could have reached this point sooner. The arrival of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has re-accelerated growth, but this league has always been special. The players are simply saying that they cannot allow some of the things that have happened in the last 27 years to be repeated, and they do not want to leave future generations in the same disadvantaged position they were in.