With the WNBA Champion crowning ceremony, the focus will shift to the CBA deal, as the deadline for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is October 31. The WNBA and WNBPA representatives had rounds of negotiations in the 2025 season, but they have yet to agree on new terms. And now Kelsey Plum alarms everyone about the CBA.
During the 2025 All-Star Game, WNBA players wore ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’ T-shirts, with the Los Angeles Sparks guard on the front campaigning for the players’ cause. Nneka Ogwumike, Napheesa Collier, and Breanna Stewart lead WNBA stars in CBA fight.
Kelsey Plum Provides Alarming Update On CBA
The WNBA season will end with the best-of-seven series winner taking home the 2025 championship trophy, but whether fans will have the 2026 season or not will depend on the result of the CBA between WNBPA and the league. As per the veteran guard, the signs are not positive.
“There’s been multiple proposals that have gone back and forth, and neither is close. It feels almost the more that we have presented, the further away we are, which is just unfortunate,” Plum said to the Athletic.
While both parties agreed on multiple demands, the top two demands still remain unfulfilled. According to Plum, revenue sharing, improved salaries, and the redesign of the salary cap were top priorities.
“That’s the thing, if me and you aren’t set on going to the correct restaurant, who cares what we’re ordering as an appetizer? First, second, third is rev. share (and) salary. So when I say that we continue to propose and the counter proposals that are coming back are further away from where we thought we would be, that to me is — and I think a lot of the players are in agreement as a union — this is literally the meat and potatoes,” the Sparks star explained.
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Last year, the WNBA players’ union opted out of the present collective bargaining agreement, which was set to expire in 2027.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 1, 2025
The deadline to come to a new agreement is Oct. 31.
But how likely will a new CBA get done? pic.twitter.com/GDYMJGMRQF
While the league demands more efforts from the players to make the league more competitive and entertaining, the former Vegas guard said that the players are showing up and delivering. Sadly, with things moving, Plum expects it will take six months to resolve the CBA negotiation issue. It is essential to note that Plum was the former vice president of the WNBPA and has a thorough understanding of the negotiation procedures.
Kelsey Plum Joins Unrivaled League
While there is uncertainty over the new CBA deal, the two-time champion joins Napheesa Collier’s Unrivaled league. The star was at the top of the list for the league, given her popularity and gameplay, which suited the 3-on-3 model. On September 30, the league confirmed the addition of Plum to the lineup. She opted out last year and will be part of the star-studded lineup in the 2026 season.
“Last year wasn’t the time for me to play. I just needed to rest, just really reset. I’m in a different place in my life now, and I’m just really excited to go out to Miami and ball out,” Plum told the media.
Kelsey Plum is finally Unrivaled 🔥
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) October 1, 2025
Plum had been announced for the league's inaugural season last year but withdrew due to personal reasons pic.twitter.com/65gCrWWbFN
Paige Bueckers leads the new lineup for the Unrivaled league, and now one of her favorite competitors, Plum, will also be on the court against her, outside the WNBA.