WNBA Players Union VP Optimistic About CBA Negotiations

Napheesa Collier says talks are 'trending in the right direction' with less than 3 months until 2026 season start.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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WNBA Players Association vice president Napheesa Collier expressed optimism about the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations between the union and the league, saying the talks are 'trending in the right direction' with less than three months until the scheduled start of the 2026 WNBA season. The union has submitted a counterproposal that includes concessions on revenue-sharing, a key issue in the negotiations.

Why it matters

The WNBA and its players union have been in protracted CBA negotiations for over a year, with the threat of a potential strike looming if a deal is not reached. A successful CBA negotiation is crucial for the league to maintain labor peace and ensure the 2026 season starts on time.

The details

The union's counterproposal included lowering its proposed share of gross revenue from 31% to 27.5% in Year 1. The league is pushing for revenue sharing based on net revenue, claiming hundreds of millions in losses if the deal is done off gross revenue. The latest proposal from the league also addressed facility standards and housing, two issues players raised in a recent in-person meeting. The talks are in their 16th month and could soon impact the 2026 schedule, with a two-team expansion draft and overloaded free agency period still to be completed before the season starts on May 8.

  • The latest deadline extension expired on Jan. 9, ushering in a status quo period of good-faith negotiations.
  • The union authorized its executive committee to strike when necessary late last year.

The players

Napheesa Collier

WNBA Players Association vice president who expressed optimism about the CBA negotiations.

Azurá Stevens

WNBA player who voiced support for a potential strike, saying she has other revenue streams outside the WNBA.

Nneka Ogwumike

WNBPA president who has been in her position since 2016.

Terri Jackson

WNBPA executive director who has been in her position since 2016.

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What they’re saying

“We are not where we want to be, but I think negotiations are trending in the right direction. And that's what you want. You want movement. You don't want to be in a stalemate. You want there to be hope for the future and I do have that.”

— Napheesa Collier, WNBA Players Association vice president (Yahoo Sports)

“Even though we're on this labor strike with the W, we're all here, we're all playing, we're all getting paid very sufficiently. So I'm not that upset if the league wants to play around. If we don't have a season, I have money. I'm getting paid from Unrivaled, and I have other revenues of income as well. It's really their loss.”

— Azurá Stevens (Philadelphia)

“People no matter [if they're] middle-tier, the people at the top, rookies, everyone has been really consistent in that we want a season to happen, but if we don't get the things that we are wanting to stay ten-toes-down on, then we're going to sit out for as long as that takes.”

— Napheesa Collier, WNBA Players Association vice president (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

The WNBA and WNBPA will continue negotiating in the coming weeks, with the goal of reaching a new CBA agreement before the scheduled start of the 2026 season on May 8.

The takeaway

The ongoing CBA negotiations between the WNBA and its players union highlight the importance of labor peace for the league's long-term success. While the talks have been contentious at times, the optimism expressed by union VP Napheesa Collier suggests the two sides are making progress towards a deal that addresses the key issues of revenue-sharing and player benefits.