The WNBA-WNBPA standoff might be a bad sign for the league, but a golden opportunity for the new leagues looking to expand their presence in the region. Especially Project B, the league operates in a 5-on-5 basis, but provides a different compensation model.
The work behind the doors started over two years ago, with the men’s basketball as the main project. But looking at the WNBA’s rise and potential, it turned to ‘Project B’ with Women’s basketball on the target.
Ever since the news reached the WNBA fans, they warned of an imminent WNBA lockout as rival league Project B dangled $2 million salaries, ownership stakes to poach players.
Will Project B’s Lucrative Offer Take WNBA Players Away?
Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Vice Presidents of the WNBPA, started a new league with a 3-on-3 format and fixed the schedule during the WNBA offseason. The idea was to provide an alternate league so that the WNBA players would stay in the States and earn.
Incidentally, the pay is even more than the WNBA salaries, which attracted many WNBA players, and the Unrivaled league’s second season also saw a massive influx of stars. On a similar basis, there is ‘Project B’, which is offering massive pay and equity share at the same time, challenging the WNBA’s stand on the revenue-sharing model.
Nneka Ogwumike, the WNBPA president, has signed with Project B, a new women’s professional basketball league set to launch in November 2026.
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 5, 2025
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
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Where the leagues, including the WNBA, have been in the market for nearly three decades, the model proposed by the Project B is more tempting and aligns with the WNPBPA’s demands during the CBA discussions – at least commercially.
These factors are major influencers for many players, as the Project B confirmed the signing of Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA president. They also confirmed that 66 more players can earn more than the WNBA has to offer is concerning news for the league, which saw losing players like Diana Taurasi to EuroLeague for the entire 2015 season over the financial benefits.
WNBA fans lash out at Nneka Ogwumike for Project B signing amid CBA Standoff, calling it unprofessional. But the star quickly opened up on her reasons to sign with the new league, which, right now, won’t collide with the WNBA dates.
WNBA Star Nneka Ogwumike Opens Up About Signing With Project B
Talking about the reasons for joining the new project, the veteran forward once again pointed to the CBA failure. In an interview with The Associated Press, the 35-year-old highlighted the reasons for the compensation package as the key to her decision.
“It’s not something that’s usually offered to us, and by us, I mean women athletes. So, for there to be an entry level of equity across the board was eye-catching. It’s something that I stand for, obviously,” the former WNBA champions said.
She even hoped that the equity share would become the norm for the leagues going forward, as the WNBA’s model was not even close to what her expectations were.
The Seattle star had been fighting for the revenue share and also higher pay for the WNBA players. The WNBA sent a proposal for higher salaries, but their revenue-sharing model was completely opposite of what the WNBPA members were hoping for.
Her signing could be alarming for the league, which needs to act faster before any other big name makes a move.