The NBA All-Star game saw top players split into Team USA and Team World, showcasing their talent on the floor. But the WNBA still dominated the news, as rumors swirled about WNBA players’ inaction during the viral NBA All-Star protest. Adam Silver, though, had to touch the subject, which offended the WNBPA president, Nneka Ogwumike.
The NBA Commissioner mentioned two key points in his answer regarding CBA discussions. He hinted at putting pressure on everyone and moving toward the next level of urgency. The veteran WNBA star gave a fitting reply to the executive.
Nneka Ogwumike Lashes Out At Adam Silver
The top demands that are halting the CBA’s progress are revenue sharing and a pay rise. While the league is getting closer to the pay terms, it is still just at the halfway mark for the revenue-sharing model.
Answering Silver’s comments on ‘Flagrant and Funny’ Podcast, the forward said, “I actually was a little bit confused when Adam [Silver] said that because as players we have certainly had a sense of urgency so much so that we’ve moved a substantial amount on this portion of the agreement that we know is going to allow everything else to fall in place.”
“Over time, we’ve come down, and we’ve come down to degrees that are not equivalent or equitable to how the league has been proposing,” Ogwumike said. “So, when we gave our proposal in December, we had come down to somewhere closer to 28%, and that was where we had not heard a response for about six weeks until, I believe, this last Friday,” She added.
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The players’ leader added that the league offered a 13% share in the first proposal, and since then, they have been on a 14.5% offer. While there is no certain deadline for the standoff, the players hold the key to putting pressure on the league.
Nneka Ogwumike Already Hinted At Possible Strike
Around mid-December, the players’ union shook everyone with a call for a strike. The records show that 93% of the players voted in favor of the decision, and 98% of them granted the authorities the authority to call the strike.
Speaking to ESPN, Ogwumike said, “We’re looking for a good deal, but I think we’re also prepared for whatever it takes for that to happen, while also understanding that we want a 2026 season. We want to make sure that that season is the way that it can be best for us to put the product on the court and for that product to be valued.”
The WNBPA announced Thursday that its members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize calling a strike "when necessary" during the ongoing negotiations between the players association and the WNBA on a new collective bargaining agreement.
— ESPN (@espn) December 18, 2025
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Amid these discussions, WNBPA’s vice president, Breanna Stewart, decided to sign for Fenerbahce, and her move raises alarms for WNBA CBA negotiations.