The WNBA-imposed March 10 negotiation deadline came and went — now what?

When you get more time for an assignment, it’s usually a good thing. The WNBA and WNBPA have more time for their assignment, but this doesn’t seem good, and it certainly came as a surprise to a lot of people.

In issue 098 of the Women’s Basketball Roundup, we discussed the WNBA’s deadline the league set. WNBA leaders stated a new CBA needed to be agreed to by then in order to prevent the 2026 schedule being negatively impacted. The date served as a guiding light of sorts as the sides picked up the pace and tried to get things back on track.

March 10 came and went with no deal, but the WNBA and WNBPA spoke of progress being made.

But the deadline, you ask? Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports provided more on that:

Well I’ll be darned.

The league and Players’ Association have been meeting for marathon sessions inside the Langham Hotel in Manhattan.

On the outside, our fearless reporter friends have braved the trickiness of false New York spring to keep up with the negotiations and report on any news that may trickle out of the high stakes proceedings

After three days of in-person sessions, the league has started to make some movement. However, one fundamental issue remains. Per Front Office Sports, the WNBA is offering “a higher salary cap but the same revenue-sharing system.”

As Erica L. Ayala and Professor David Berri discussed in an exclusive interview for Black Rosie Media, that’s a non-starter.

It’s great that the WNBA and WNBPA are still negotiating. They understand the importance of getting a deal done and a season on the books. While there’s been progress, there needs to be a lot more.

The money is there, now it’s just a matter of the league doing right by players.

USA, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Belgium remain undefeated in Qualifiers

The FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournaments are officially underway, and we’ve seen familiar faces shine for their home countries.

In the France portion of qualifiers, Dominique Malonga is building on her time in Unrivaled and has led France to a 2-0 record in the group stage.

Dom scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds in just 19 minutes as France won 115-66 over the Philippines. Malonga continues to be a sensation and her highlights have awed basketball fans around the globe

In the Turkey region, Ezi Magbegor has been a force in the frontcourt for Australia. The 2024 Olympics bronze medalist helped the Opals rally from a nine point fourth quarter deficit to rally past a tough Japan team, 81-71.

Australia had a much easier time of it against Argentina as Magbegor’s 16/7/2/3/1 helped lead them to a comfortable 91-65 victory. The games represent a chance for Ezi to shine on the global stage after a somewhat disappointing 2025 with the Seattle Storm. As one of the best defenders in basketball, Magbegor can be a force every time she’s on the court. Another great outing will remind fans of why she’s such a special player.

In the China qualifiers, a young big is looking to find her way. Brazil is 1-1 in the group stage, but Kamilla Cardoso has been a shining light. Although she didn’t have a huge impact in their loss to Emma Meesseman and Belgium, games like that can be valuable learning lessons as she looks to enter the upper echelon of frontcourt players in the world.

The Belgian team is one of the best in the world and a threat to win the World Cup this fall in Germany. These qualifiers serve as a great opportunity for them to see where they are as a team before the stakes rise this fall and give them a first hand look at the competition.

With the games being broadcast on TNT Sports, basketball fans get to span the globe. There’s so much amazing talent out there and fans having more access helps grow the game and showcase the skills of the players.

It’s a long way to Germany, but we’re off to a great start.

Drops Double-Double in USA Basketball debut after eight-month absence

After being sidelined for eight months, superstar Caitlin Clark returned to the hardcourt and dropped a double-double in her USA Basketball debut.

Impressive!

Caitlin Clark made her long awaited return to the court on March 11 in Puerto Rico with Team USA. Clark missed most of the 2025 WNBA season with a variety of injuries that dated all the way back to the 2026 Indiana Fever preseason.

Playing with a bunch of new players is always a challenge, but Clark is someone that has a history of picking up the pace and making great decisions when she has the ball in her hands. It makes the transition to the national team a bit easier and gives a guide as to how she’ll make the biggest impact.

“So I just try to come in and play as fast as I can, play up-tempo,” Clark said after the win against Senegal. “It's not like any of us are going to be playing 35 minutes. When you're out there, just compete as hard as you can. You give everything you’ve got.”

USA Basketball is the gold standard. The team hasn’t lost a game in decades and has endless amounts of talent.

As they transition into a new generation, stars like Clark will keep them a step ahead of the world. As the game continues to grow, the USA remains the team to beat.

THE DANCE IS A FEW DAYS AWAY

March Madness is right around the corner, and the Selection Committee will have some tough choices to make.

This weekend, the NCAA Tournament brackets will be revealed. Connecticut is the only undefeated team remaining and will officially begin their quest to be the first team to go undefeated and back-to-back since the 2016 edition of UConn, led by Breanna Stewart.

Although Connecticut is undefeated, should they be the number one overall seed? The 31-1 UCLA Bruins have a pretty great case as our Erica L. Ayala discussed with Alicia Jay on We Need to Talk:

Once the seeds are announced, we’ll have a clearer picture as to what to expect and the road some of the preseason contenders will have to take to the Final Four.

March Madness is always excellent. There's no margin for error and the stakes are at its highest. Over the next month, we’ll watch these players shine in the biggest games of their lives as they chase history.

The road to the Final Four is challenging, but incredibly rewarding.

THE WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS CONTINUE ON

Here’s the broadcast schedule for the World Cup qualifiers

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