Why WNBA Needs To Address Project B’s Player Poaching Threat More Than Ever

The WNBA’s offseason has grown crowded with options for its stars, from Unrivaled’s 3-on-3 format to Athletes Unlimited’s weekly rotations. 

Now Project B enters the mix, a 5-on-5 touring league backed by global funding and big-money offers that could pull players away for good. 

As CBA talks drag on past a recent 30-day extension, the league faces a real risk as top talents are opting for international stops that pay millions without the WNBA’s constraints.

Is Project B’s Social Media Surge A Threat To WNBA?

In today’s world, or even a world before, no league could put nails in players’ feet and make them stay. Contrary to the statement, in such situations, the event follows a domino effect. 

After Nneka Ogwumike became the first player to join Project B, Alyssa Thomas followed suit, which earned her nothing but online scrutiny. 

Apart from all this, Project B’s Instagram account has quickly built a following among WNBA players, with accounts like Jewell Loyd, Brittney Griner, Bria Hartley, and Leonie Fiebich actively tracking its progress. 

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For the WNBA, ignoring this could mean losing its core roster, especially if owners don’t budge on demands for a larger slice of the league’s $2.2 billion media deal.

Nneka Ogwumike, the WNBPA president, has signed with Project B, a new women’s professional basketball league set to launch in November 2026.

Project B players will receive an undisclosed salary plus an equity stake in the league. Project B league officials have stated the 66… pic.twitter.com/986zF2dDFf

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 5, 2025

The page also follows other talents, including Marine Johannes, Kelsey Mitchell, Kamilla Cardoso, Jonquel Jones, and Janelle Salaun, showing broad interest across the league. 

The league plans two-week tournaments in Europe, Asia, and Latin America from November 2026 to April 2027. Interestingly, this window avoids direct overlap with the WNBA season. 

But unlike Unrivaled, which is based in Miami and has adjusted to fit WNBA schedules, or Athletes Unlimited’s domestic model, Project B’s team shows openness to future conflicts. 

Only Ogwumike, the WNBPA president, and Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas have signed publicly so far, but the buzz suggests more could follow if CBA demands go unmet.

WNBA Should Listen To Sophie Cunningham’s Comments On Project B

Sophie Cunningham, the Indiana Fever guard and a vocal CBA critic, sees Project B as a logical response to the WNBA’s pay gaps. 

In a recent interview, she questioned the league’s very existence next year, which has “a lot of uncertainty.”

Additionally, Cunningham views the poaching pragmatically. According to her, “if people are going to be paying you multi-million dollar deals, why would you not?” 

At 29 and rehabbing a knee injury, she knows the risks. She could see how overseas play already costs players time and health, but also the appeal of financial security.