WNBA: What’s at Stake? Negotiations and the Future of the Players

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game: More Than a Game

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, held in Indianapolis, will not be remembered for on-court performances, but for a demonstration of unity. During warm-up, all players wore black t-shirts with the slogan “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” This slogan referred to the collective bargaining negotiations between the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and the WNBA, which the players considered stalled. The decision to use the jerseys was unanimous, with the support of all 22 All-Stars. Solidarity has been a fundamental principle among WNBA players long before these negotiations. However, as in any labor negotiation, the realities are diverse. Some players are millionaires thanks to off-court sponsorships, while others depend primarily on their WNBA salaries, which in 2025 ranged from $66,079 (the minimum) to $249,244 (the supermax), or from other leagues. Some are on rookie contracts, others are nearing retirement. There are mothers, international players, and future prospects awaiting their opportunity. Furthermore, in a recent development for this round of negotiations, some players have stock ownership, or have even co-founded, other professional leagues. While the WNBPA and the WNBA seek what both sides have called a “transformative” collective bargaining agreement, what’s at stake for these diverse interests and how might these differences manifest themselves in negotiations? Before the November 30 deadline for the new collective bargaining agreement, we analyze the multiple perspectives of the players and the WNBPA, and how they could be affected when a new agreement is ratified. We will soon explore the management side of the negotiation table.

Terri Jackson, executive director of the WNBPA, negotiates her second collective bargaining agreement with the league.

Negotiator: Terri Jackson, Executive Director of the WNBPA

Jackson took over as CEO in 2016 and is participating in her second collective bargaining negotiations. She led the securing of the 2020 agreement, which brought significant advances for the players: substantial salary increases, changes that led to a stronger free agency, and improvements for mothers and those taking maternity leave. Jackson and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who took office in July 2019, worked well together for the 2020 collective bargaining agreement. Their relationship appears to have cooled since then; Jackson criticized Engelbert’s comments in 2024 about online vitriol from fans. This year, the union has participated in more aggressive criticisms of the WNBA/NBA regarding labor negotiations, trying to influence public opinion with actions such as wearing the “Pay Us What You Owe Us” jerseys at the All-Star Game. With so much at stake in a changed financial landscape for the league, this could be a collective bargaining agreement that marks a legacy for Jackson. Therefore, it is important for her to keep the players united, even ensuring to the rank-and-file union members that their interests are being protected, as well as the interests of the WNBA stars.

Before the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, WNBA players like Indiana star Caitlin Clark wore shirts that said “Pay us what you owe us”.

Superstars with high off-court earnings

Key examples: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever; A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces; Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty; Angel Reese, Chicago Sky; Paige Bueckers, Dallas WingsCaitlin Clark, for example, has high-profile sponsorship deals with companies like Nike, State Farm, and Gatorade, which provide her with much more income than her salary in the WNBA. She is part of a group of players, both veterans and those with rookie contracts, who could withstand a possible work stoppage without financial difficulties. That said, a key part of obtaining sponsorships is visibility, which the WNBA provides. Clark has two years remaining on the rookie contract he signed as the number 1 pick in 2024. Once she becomes a free agent, she could afford financially to do what Wilson has done: accept a lower salary to ensure playing with a strong group of teammates that fit within the salary cap. However, we don’t know if the new collective bargaining agreement will result in fewer cases of players willing or feeling the need to do so.

Kiah Stokes started 18 of 40 regular season games for the WNBA champion Aces during the 2025 season, averaging 1.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 12.9 minutes. She has been on all three Las Vegas teams that have won the title.

Role-playing players

Key examples: Kiah Stokes, Las Vegas Aces; Natisha Hiedeman, Minnesota Lynx; Lindsay Allen, Connecticut Sun

There is a variety of perspectives and experiences even within this category. Some, though not all, are making good money abroad, in Unrivaled (where there will be 48 roster spots in 2026, up from 36 in the inaugural season) or with Athletes Unlimited (40 spots). Some, though not all, have quite considerable off-court income streams. However, those who have neither depend more than their peers on their WNBA jobs and the success of the league, and a work stoppage would likely affect them more. A salary increase of four or five times in the WNBA would have a significant impact on this group. More roster spots, through expansion or an increase in the size of the rosters, would also provide them with more opportunities to go to teams where they can earn more money or simply find the best fit.

Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen was named to the 2025 WNBA All-Rookie team.

Players with rookie contracts

Key examples: Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics; Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut Sun; Maddy Siegrist, Dallas Wings Not all young WNBA players are as fortunate as Clark to supplement their income off the court. For them, the extent to which the league raises the minimum salary could be crucial. When the minimum rose 36% in 2020 at the start of the current collective bargaining agreement, rookie contracts were revised upwards so that no player earned less than the minimum. Given the likelihood of a much larger increase this time, league sources have speculated that the minimum salary could quadruple, recent draft picks could profit despite being under contract. At the same time, with hopefully long careers ahead, young WNBA players will not want to close a deal that limits their earning potential in the future. For future stars, this collective agreement will not only determine the upcoming seasons, but will also lay the groundwork for subsequent agreements.

DeWanna Bonner, 38, is a two-time WNBA champion and has just finished her 16th season in the league.

Players About to Retire

Key examples: DeWanna Bonner, Phoenix Mercury; Alysha Clark, Washington Mystics; Sami Whitcomb, Phoenix Mercury; Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun

Bonner, who turned 38 in August, was the second-oldest active player in the WNBA last season. During the WNBA playoffs, she told reporters that she wasn’t sure if she would play again in 2026. Whether she does or not, a player of her age likely has a strong interest in the WNBA starting a pension plan similar to the one that NBA players have. The WNBA currently has a 401(k); the NBA has that plus a pension plan, which began in the 1960s and is based on years of service and average salary. Current WNBA players want those who came before them, the league started in 1997, to also benefit from a pension plan.

Kiana Williams, a late second-round pick in the 2021 WNBA draft, has played a total of 38 games over the last five seasons, with stops in Seattle, Phoenix, and Connecticut.

Players in the squad bubble

Key examples: Kiana Williams, Phoenix Mercury; Haley Jones, Dallas Wings; Elizabeth Kitley, Golden State ValkyriesThe expansion is already a blessing for former college stars like Kiana Williams, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2021 Final Four, as she and Jones led Stanford to the NCAA title, who have struggled to establish their professional careers. There will be at least 24 new roster spots in 2026 with the entry into the league of Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. The expansion of the roster could create even more opportunities. WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike told ESPN in May that she considers increasing rosters to 13 or adding an injured list to be “incredibly reasonable” options. Not only are larger templates financially better for marginal players, but they would also have a real opportunity to develop within the context of a specific team’s system. That surpasses the current hardship contracts that force players like Williams to fly halfway across the country at the last minute to join new teams and dress immediately.

French star Gabby Williams played only 12 regular season WNBA games in 2024, joining Seattle after the Paris Olympics.

International Players

Key examples: Gabby Williams, Seattle Storm; Emma Meesseman, New York Liberty; Satou Sabally, Phoenix Mercury Prioritization is most important for Gabby Williams and other international stars. The rule requiring players to report at the start of training camp almost ruled out Williams for the 2023 season, she was only eligible due to a concussion suffered during the French finals, and prevented her from joining the WNBA until after the Paris 2024 Olympics. When Williams finally enjoyed a full season in the WNBA in 2025, she was chosen as an All-Star for the first time. Now that she plays for Turkish Fenerbahce, showing up on time shouldn’t be a problem, but if the league pushes for exclusivity, that could create more difficult options for international players. The league could also try to prevent players from joining national teams for competitions outside the Olympic Games and the FIBA World Cup, a problem for continental championships that do not include USA Basketball.

Unrivaled co-founders Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier also serve as vice presidents of the WNBA executive committee.WNBA executive committee members with interest in other leaguesKey examples: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx; Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty; Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm Three of the seven players on the WNBPA’s executive committee have stakes in other leagues. Collier and Stewart, who are vice presidents of the committee, are co-founders of Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league that played its inaugural season earlier this year and offers an average six-figure salary to the top WNBA talent. Ogwumike, the WNBPA president, has just signed a contract with Project B, a 5-on-5 league that is supposed to start next winter and will have a format similar to Formula 1 in which teams will tour Europe and Asia. The three players insist that their respective leagues do not compete with the WNBA and that there is no conflict of interest regarding their ability to negotiate the new collective bargaining agreement. They say they need the WNBA to succeed as much as everyone else. However, if Unrivaled continues to succeed and if Project B can take off, this trio will not need the WNBA as much as the players who are not invited to play in these leagues, which are targeting the best WNBA players. There is also the question of what would happen if prioritization becomes a point of conflict in the negotiations. Would they be willing to walk away from the leagues that offer them such high incomes?

Sparks forward Dearica Hamby has two children, her daughter Maya, 8, and her son Legend, 2.

Players with children

Key examples: Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles Sparks; Skylar Diggins, Seattle Storm The current collective bargaining agreement saw some of the biggest advancements for parents and pregnant players in the league. It ensured that new parents received their full salary during parental leave, previously only half was guaranteed, and also gave them a childcare stipend, workplace accommodations for breastfeeding, and at least a two-bedroom apartment for players with children. The family planning benefits are currently only available to players with eight or more years in the WNBA. It is important for players to expand these protections and benefits.

Fever star Kelsey Mitchell earned $249,244 last season as the WNBA’s highest-paid player.

Star Players with Lower Off-Court Earnings

Key examples: Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever; Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury; Brionna Jones, Atlanta Dream; Natasha Howard, Indiana Fever

Mitchell was the highest-paid WNBA player last year ($249,244 in annual income), but unlike other players who are near the maximum salary, such as A’ja Wilson, Mitchell does not have the off-court branding and sponsorship deals to give her large supplementary income. Because of this, she does not have the same financial flexibility as others who earn more off the court to accept a lower salary and allow more players to join her team. Mitchell and Thomas received the core designation, which allows players to sign a one-year qualifying offer with the highest possible WNBA salary, but prevents them from signing with another team as a free agent. During the latest collective bargaining negotiations, the maximum number of times a player can be chosen was reduced from three years to two. Now there is a possibility that it will go down again. If that is the case, Mitchell and Thomas would not be eligible for that tag, which would likely give them more control over their future.

JuJu Watkins will miss the 2025-26 college women’s basketball season after suffering an ACL tear in March 2025. She has two years of college eligibility remaining.

Future WNBA Players

Key examples: JuJu Watkins, USC Trojans, Flau’jae Johnson, LSU Tigers; Sarah Strong, UConn Huskies; Lauren Betts, UCLA BruinsCurrent college players are not technically represented at the negotiating table, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t closely watching how these negotiations unfold. Young players like Clark, Reese, and Bueckers helped catalyze this moment of tremendous growth for the WNBA, and there’s a group of stars behind them who will help continue that momentum. What will the new collective bargaining agreement and playing in the WNBA look like for the next generation of stars? How much will rookies’ salaries increase with the new agreement? Another matter to be determined is whether the draft eligibility rules will change. Currently, college players can declare early for the draft if they turn 22 in that calendar year, while international prospects must be at least 20 years old. If both sides relax those requirements, that would impact top talents like Watkins and Strong.