WE’RE IN THE ENDGAME

Deadlines always create a sense of anxiety. When you see a clear finish line, everything starts to crystallize. You know you have to make the absolute most of the time you have left and put your best foot forward. The deadline is usually a clarifying moment, and knowing that a project is about to end can provide some sense of relief. The WNBA might be an exception to that rule.

Early in the morning on February 23, ESPN’s Katie Barnes reported that the WNBA generated enough revenue in 2025 to trigger player revenue sharing. This is a notable and historic achievement, as the 2020 CBA stipulated that revenue sharing would only take effect if certain benchmarks were met.

From Barnes’ story:

As we’ve chronicled here at the WBB Roundup, there’s a lot of money coming into the WNBA, and it’s going to be a battle to see who gets what and when. And when may be coming pretty soon.

Later in the day on February 23, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported that the WNBA informed teams and the WNBPA that a new CBA would need to be agreed to by Tuesday, March 10, in order for the season to start on time. The league still has to conduct two expansion drafts, set a salary cap, free agency, etc., and that’s before the Draft itself on April 13.

The deadline of the 10th is somewhat sudden, considering the league has been dragging its feet throughout this entire saga

With an actual deadline in place, will that lead to a swift resolution and a CBA everyone is happy with? Based on recent discussions between the two sides, the sense of optimism is there.

“I think there has to be a lot of movement in a lot of places in the CBA,” Napheesa Collier recently told Yahoo Sports, “but the fact that we are moving, I think, is really hopeful."

Decision time is here. It’s been a two-year journey to reach this point, and the WNBA has grown immensely during that time. A new CBA should provide the long term stability to help the league grow even more. If we don’t get a CBA, we enter a world of uncertainty. Clock's ticking.

ONE WEEK TO GO!

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
Week 14
Week 15

TENNESSEE IS IN A FUNK

Losing streaks test a team’s character. When losses pile up, so do the frustrations. Nothing is working, you’re falling down the standings, and the amount of time you have to turn things around decreases by the second. There’s still a chance to fix things, but your margin of error is basically zero. For the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, they’ve reached a moment of truth.

In issue 096 of the WBB Roundup, we made mention of Tennessee’s recent struggles. Kim Caldwell bemoaned her team’s lack of effort and chastised them for “quitting” against South Carolina. The team is still on pace to make the NCAA Tournament, but its flaws are becoming increasingly evident by the day.

Going into Sunday afternoon’s road matchup against Oklahoma, Tennessee’s struggles were the subject of national discussion. ESPN analyst and UT alum Andraya Carter discussed the team’s recent struggles and highlighted an issue that is bubbling to the surface

There was a lot of roster turnover for the Vols from last season to this one. Before the season began, the team dismissed Ruby Whitehorn from the program after two off-season arrests.

The team has had to adjust a lot, and they’re still trying to find their way as we approach the end of the season.

“I think last year we were very consistent in who we played and how we played them, and our substitution patterns were consistent all year long, and they’re not this year,” Caldwell said following the game against Texas A&M. “We don’t have consistent substitution patterns. We are not playing the same rotations. We’re very inconsistent about who can be on the floor, who shows up, who’s what, and then you’ve been inconsistent with injuries, as well. But I think consistency of knowing what we’re going to get out of each player can get better down the stretch.”

For at least one game, they had to do it without their second-leading scorer.

Prior to the game against Oklahoma, it was announced that Janiah Barker would miss the game. Barker did not travel with the team as she “didn’t meet the team standards.” Caldwell said Barker will be fine, so maybe this was only a single-game issue.

With all of that in the air, the Vols faced a tall task against the Sooners. Tennessee was competitive for most of the night, but ultimately fell short 100-93. It was the team’s fourth straight loss and sixth in their last seven games. As a result, the team has fallen out of the Top 25 rankings.

Despite the loss, there is some room for optimism in Knoxville.

“Tonight, honestly, our team was fun to coach,” Caldwell said in the postgame. We definitely made some basketball errors but the people that were on the phone, played hard, and played together. Not a good third quarter for us, but we can make some adjustments from today’s game going forward and be OK.”

The SEC Rumble continues as the Vols travel to Baton Rouge for a game against LSU on February 26 before ending the regular season at home against Vanderbilt on March 1.

It’s been a rocky road for Tennessee. They’re on a losing streak and frustration is mounting. They still have time to turn things around, but they need to do so soon. If they stick together, they might be able to get out of this slump. One win could cure everything.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL LOST A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY

On February 22, the WNBA announced the passing of former All-Star and two-time WNBA champion, Kara Braxton.

Braxton’s basketball journey began in Oregon as she was one of the greatest high school players in state history. At the University of Georgia where she won Freshman of the Year and helped the Bulldogs to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

As a professional, Braxton helped the Shock win the WNBA Championship in 2006 and 2008. The 2006 team will be honored by the Detroit Pistons on March 3, as this season marks the 20th anniversary of the championship-winning club.

Braxton ended her WNBA career after ten years with the New York Liberty, but played overseas and won championships in Poland and China before retiring from basketball in 2019.

Her son, Jelani Thurman, is an athlete in his own right and like mom, won a championship. He previously spoke about what lessons he learned from her

Braxton was beloved by fans and her peers in sports alike. She returned to Georgia in 2024 and achieved a lifelong dream of obtaining her degree.

"I think that I come with a different perspective, and I've been there, and I've done it. Nothing I'm telling you is fake," Braxton said in 2024. "It's raw, and it's real, and it's me."

Our condolences to Kara’s family and loved ones.

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

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