Adam Silver Confirms Agreement with WNBA Players Despite Tensions
STAMFORD, Conn. – NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has confirmed that a new collective bargaining agreement will be reached with the WNBA players. However, he acknowledged that it is necessary to repair relationships following recent criticism of Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. These tensions reached their peak last week, when Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier expressed her discontent, calling the league’s leadership the “worst in the world.” These statements threatened to overshadow the WNBA Finals between Las Vegas and Phoenix.Engelbert has also expressed his confidence that a new agreement will be reached, although not necessarily before the October 31 deadline. 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 intensity as Collier, who was runner-up for the league’s MVP. Silver pointed out that, although Engelbert has overseen historic growth in the league, there are problems that need to be addressed, not only economic ones, but also those related to relationships. He was optimistic that they can be solved over time, allowing the league to 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. NBC will also televise the WNBA Finals in 2026. Derek Fisher, former Lakers player and former president of the NBA Basketball Players Association in 2011, when the league and the union failed to reach an agreement on time, noted that it is unusual to see someone express themselves as Collier did during the negotiations, but understood the reason. Fisher, who has also been a coach in the WNBA and will be an analyst for NBA games for NBC, commented that it is common for distrust and misunderstandings to arise during high-level negotiations. However, he emphasized that, until an agreement is reached, there is an adversarial nature. Silver insisted that an agreement would be reached. “We will reach an agreement with the players,” he affirmed. “There is still much work to be done, but of course we will achieve a new collective bargaining agreement.” Fisher suggested that WNBA players feel they haven’t been valued enough and that there is a disconnect with the league’s management.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 Finals are underway,” Silver said on Monday. “We’ve had two fantastic games so far, and we want to celebrate the game right now, and then we have to sit down with the players and negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.
Adam Silver
