THE ROAD TO CBA NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUES

The moment hasn’t arrived quite yet.

Since October 21, 2024, we’ve been on a long, winding road to the expiration of the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. There have been plenty of bumps in the road as WNBA players fight for the past, present, and future of this game. Players have felt frustrated with what they perceive as the league’s slow pace in negotiations and the lack of progress in reaching an agreement. The original deadline for the league and PA to reach an agreement was October 31, which was practically impossible.

Earlier in the week, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA offered the WNBPA a 30-day extension to continue talks. It didn’t appear likely, as according to the PA at the time, the circumstances for an extension “do not yet exist.” However, it appears things have changed enough for talks to continue.

Late on October 30, the two sides came to an agreement to extend the CBA talks. The new deadline for agreeing to a new CBA is November 30. Although both groups agreed to an extension, the option to escalate remains present:

Even with more time, the two sides are very far apart on some critical issues. According to Ben Pickman of The Athletic:

“The topic of revenue sharing, however, emerged as the wedge issue throughout the talks. Players have been adamant about enacting a new framework that would not only adjust how league revenue is allocated but also how league revenue would impact player salaries. The union has repeatedly proposed a salary framework tied to the WNBA's business, in which player salaries are linked to a percentage of the league's revenue. The WNBA, meanwhile, has proposed a revenue-sharing system similar in structure to what is currently in the CBA, with a fixed salary cap and additional uncapped revenue sharing but only if league revenue exceeds certain targets.”

As we discussed in the October 24 edition of the WBB Roundup, the league does not see revenue sharing as a “the right way to look at” this situation.

The WNBA wants to raise salaries for players, but by not tying it to revenue, they won’t be connecting players to the influx of money coming into the league now and in the future. That won’t fly with the players, so the league has a lot of work to do between now and the end of November.

Everyone around the league hopes the extension will lead to more productive talks and a new agreement at the end of this road. With the amount of money coming into the league and critical issues still left to be addressed, getting a deal done is of the utmost importance.

There’s more time to work something out, but no one can afford to take things for granted. There’s too much on the line.

THE GAME’S GREATEST WILL BE IMMORTALIZED

On June 27, 2026, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame will be welcoming some new inductees into their hallowed halls. Here are this year’s inductees:

The ceremony will take place in Knoxville, Tennessee next year and for the University of Tennessee’s greatest basketball player, it’s an honor that has even more significance.

"Coming back to Tennessee for this honor is full circle," Candace Parker told The Associated Press. "This is where Coach Summitt taught me what it means to lead, to compete, and to elevate others. To stand here in the same community that impacted me so much and be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame is a tribute to Pat's legacy and to everyone who cheered me on along the way."

This year’s class features some of the game’s greatest minds and trailblazers. Doris Burke has been a staple of ESPN’s men’s and women’s basketball coverage for decades and has opened doors along the way. Cheryl Reeve has led the Minnesota Lynx for close to two decades and has turned them into one of the marquee franchises in professional sports. Delle Donne was one of the game’s greatest players and one of the 2010s’ most important and influential players. And there aren’t enough superlatives to describe Parker’s impact on every aspect of basketball.

It’s going to be a special night in June for the inductees and their families.

SOME NEW FACES FOR SEASON 2!

Opening Night for Unrivaled is a few months away, and everything is just about ready.

On October 30, the 3×3 league unveiled the final members of Season 2, and it’s full of new, but familiar faces! Joining Unrivaled this go ‘round will be Aari McDonald, Rebecca Allen, and Dominique Malonga. For McDonald, she will be returning to the court after a broken bone in her right foot ended her dream season with the Indiana Fever. Allen is currently playing for Fenerbahçe and will join Unrivaled once she fulfills her obligations with them. Malonga’s situation is a bit trickier.

In the October 22 edition of the WBB Roundup, we talked about Malonga’s current predicament. She’s currently recovering from wrist surgery and should be healed by the winter. However, she’s gotten into a world of trouble with Fenerbahçe and they are currently weighing their legal options after she decided not to play for them. Malonga staying stateside is a big get for Unrivaled, but from Kendra Andrews of ESPN:

“In order for Malonga to return to the WNBA in 2026, a letter of clearance from the Turkish federation by way of Fenerbahçe will be required. Sources told ESPN that Malonga did not need this level of clearance to participate in Unrivaled.”

This saga is far from over, and we’ll keep you updated if something changes.

We won’t be seeing Dijonai Carrington in Unrivaled this year as she continues to recover from a foot injury she suffered in the playoffs.

After the rosters were announced, we found out who the coaches will be this season.

For Noelle Quinn, she’s landed on her feet after her time as Seattle Storm head coach ended in September. Teresa Weatherspoon, Nola Henry, DJ Sackmann, and Andrew Wade return for Season 2 after serving as head coaches in 2025. Rene Wakama worked as an assistant head coach with the Chicago Sky in 2025 and also serves as the head coach for Nigeria’s D’Tigress. New York Liberty fans are quite familiar with Roneeka Hodges and Zach O’Brien, as they served as assistant coaches on the 2024 WNBA Championship-winning team.

Unrivaled works as a proving ground of sorts as coaches and players challenge themselves in new and exciting ways. This season will be a great opportunity for them to build on their skills and showcase why they should be big parts of their WNBA teams’ plans from now on.

In addition to the new teams, players, and coaches, Season 2 of Unrivaled introduces new amenities and features. This year, each team will have its own development coach, athletic trainer, and strength & performance coach. In addition, there will be an extra practice court and a training room that is twice the size of the one used in 2025. For the new league, these additions show the benefit of collaborating with and listening to the players.

“We’re really intentional about everything that we do that touches the player experience,” Unrivaled executive vice president and General manager Clare Duwelius told The Athletic’s Ben Pickman, “and a big thing that we wanted to do before everyone left Miami last year was sit down, have face-to-face conversations with all the players and just get a temperature check on their experience. The things that they communicated, we snapped our fingers and started investing in right away.”

Even without the uncertainty surrounding the WNBA’s CBA, Unrivaled would be an incredibly important space. Giving basketball fans more options is always a good thing, and an environment where players and coaches get rewarded for their hard work is always worth celebrating. As the league looks to build on a successful debut, they have the talent and resources needed to take a big step forward.

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

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