The Unrivaled league, College basketball, and now USA basketball kept fans engaged for the offseason. During that period, many expected the CBA deal to go through, and teams were preparing for the 2026 season. While that was the ideal situation, the reality on the floor is completely opposite.
Rather, the WNBPA vice president, Breanna Stewart, gave a 50/50 chance to start the season on time. Both parties, the players’ association and the league, were firm on their initial stance and moved a bit in an 18-month period.
But NBA legend Charles Barkley warns the players, though, in his recent comments about the CBA.
Charles Barkley With Reality Check To WNBA Players
With two key issues of revenue sharing and salary cap still remaining a stumbling block in the CBA confirmation, there are strong and aggressive comments from players that are hampering the relations between the league and the PA. Recently, Napheesa Collier called the WNBPA’s offer ‘Pity Support’ while sending them a warning about the strike.
NBA Hall of Famer emphasized the stark power imbalance between the players and the owners in the recent episode of his podcast, The Steam Room. He said, “The notion that workers are ever going to overpower billionaires and multimillionaires, that’s never going to happen in any capacity.”
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
“Ladies, I want you all to get paid, and I wish you the very best. But y’all gotta be very careful. Y’all get in that room and say, ‘Hey, let’s make the best deal.’ You don’t want a strike, you don’t want a lockout,” he added.
Giving the players a warning about heavy criticism, he said, “You could see this damn train wreck coming. I didn’t say anything publicly [but] when y’all start bad-mouthing the commissioner, you have to remember one thing: The commissioner works for the owners. I’m like, well, y’all better be careful. Because you know who has power? People who got damn money.”
Barkley worked closely with Caitlin Clark and praised the player’s impact. His words hint at his concerns about the delay of the CBA and the 2026 season. To fast-track the process, the WNBA and WNBPA had a long meeting.
WNBA-WNBPA Completes 12-Hour Meeting on Deadline Day
While March 11 was the deadline for signing the CBA, both parties will remember it as a key meeting that determined the fate of the season. According to reports, WNBA and WNBPA held a constructive 12-hour meeting.
Even though there is no specific outcome from the meeting, the talks progressed in a desirable direction, as both representatives mentioned.
Cathy Engelbert gives an update after a 12-hour marathon CBA negotiating session, yet she agreed that there is a lot of work pending.