ARE WE CLOSER TO AN AGREEMENT?

Last week at the Women’s Basketball Roundup, we discussed the latest in the WNBA CBA negotiations. We’re deep in the status quo period, and it looks like we’re gonna be here for a good bit longer. The major point of contention remains the revenue share and how much of the ever-expanding pie the players get. If there’s an agreement on that, it would greatly increase the odds of the season starting.

“We made the point that once we nail this, we can get everything else done,” WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike told the Associated Press.

But will they get something acceptable on the revenue share front?

After failing to provide an updated proposal at their February 2 meeting with the WNBPA, the league sent a new proposal on February 6. Sports Business Journal was first to report on some of the particulars, and it doesn’t appear all that promising:

The WNBA pie is rapidly growing, but the league office doesn’t want to share. I’m starting to become convinced that the WNBA/NBA office doesn’t respect the players & don't see them as equal partners.

Fortunately, the league has started to move into some other areas. Reports from ESPN, USA Today, and Front Office Sports indicate that the league will offer one-bedroom apartments to players on minimum-salary contracts and studio apartments to players on developmental contracts. There’s still plenty of work to be done on retirement benefits, workplace conditions, roster spots, etc.

There’s too much at stake for the WNBA. The league is in the mainstream and has fans eagerly awaiting its return.

With all the money coming in, they have more than enough to pay the players while still leaving plenty over for themselves. They need to figure it out.

NEW MONTH, NEW STANDINGS!

Here’s the latest in the AP’s Top 25 rankings:

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13

WHO WILL BE THE HEAD OF THE TABLE?

February 11 is the start of the annual Unrivaled 1 v. 1 Tournament! The players in the league will face off, with the winner walking away with a cool $200,000. In taking a look at the bracket, we have a LOT of exciting matchups on deck.

No. 1 seed Breanna Stewart is looking to bounce back after a rough showing in last year’s tournament. Stewie lost in the first round to Aaliyah Edwards, 11-0. Stewart has been terrific in Unrivaled this season and is the early favorite against Li Yueru.

In the 2/7 matchup, we have a fascinating pairing of young bigs. Edwards made it all the way to the Final of the tournament last year before ultimately losing to Napheesa Collier. Edwards is fourth in the league in scoring this year and is showcasing more of her all-around talent.

Edwards has a tough assignment against Dominique Malonga. Dom has continued to add a lot to her game, and when Unrivaled went to Philadelphia, we had a chance to chat with Dom about that and plenty more

On the other side of the bracket, the 2/7 matchup between Chelsea Gray and Natasha Cloud looks fun! Gray has fully reestablished herself as one of the best guards in basketball.

Cloud has been terrific for Phantom this year, and her tough defense will be essential against a guard who can score from all three levels like Gray. There are great hoops up and down the bracket, and we should be in store for a great tournament.

1-on-1 basketball is always fun. We get to see players’ full talents and how they work in such a unique setup. No one else is in the way. It’s just you, the ball, and your opponent trying to stop you.

Who’s the best 1-on-1 player in the land? We’ll see. It’s time to hoop it up!

NYU SETS THE WINNING STREAK RECORD

On February 8, New York University defeated Carnegie Mellon 69-58 to improve its record to 20-0. They’ve won the last two Division III championships and are the early favorites to do it again this spring. The win against their rivals did more than add one more plank to their number one rankings. It made league history!

The win was their 82nd in a row, breaking the DIII record held by Washington University of St. Louis. The record stood for decades before NYU did the impossible. Even with the record in their possession, the Violets are focused on the biggest prize.

"I think it hasn't been the priority, but it's something that we're very excited to represent a DIII record in a really big way," head coach Meg Barber said after the game. "We didn't win a national championship today. We won a game and are focused on going 1-0 again on Friday. That has been the main priority the whole time."

It’s always a blessing to make history. NYU has stood atop DIII since 2024 and is on track to be one of the best teams in DIII history.

Obtaining the win streak record goes a long way in cementing their legend, and another title will be the cherry on top of this historic run.

At Black Rosie Media, we love to give flowers to other writers and creators in the women’s basketball community.

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