Caitlin Clark celebrated her birthday on January 22, and the next day, the WNBA released its schedule. It was like a gift for the player who was working hard on her return and now had a definite date to work with. Many fans and players also expected strong steps from the authorities to meet the ‘new’ deadline.
But even after the schedule declaration, WNBPA rejected the league’s offers, insisting that the demands from the PA are non-negotiable.
Though they lowered their revenue share percentage in the next proposal, the league also stayed firm on its commercial terms, putting multiple players’ futures in limbo. ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne sheds light on the situation.
Caitlin Clark And Other WNBA Players’ Future Hangs In Balance
On the Rich Eisen show, the analyst said the league must complete the CBA deal by March or risk postponing the season. Postponing the season is one of the toughest parts, as the franchise and broadcasters have already invested in the dates they’ve given to their planning and commercials, which are taking a serious toll.
As for players, they would also face uncertainty about the future, with 80% already unclear about their free agency fate. Talking about the pressure point to get the deal, Shelburne said, “The real pressure point is like 80% of the league are free agents, everyone timed their contract. Literally, there’s not even any team; there is only like 20% of the league that’s under contract for the next season.”
ESPN talks about when the pain points start kicking in, in the new CBA negotiations.
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) February 21, 2026
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She added that the processes the league needs to complete before the start of the season will take substantial time, and with that, the deadline should be around March. Cailtin Clark also highlighted the urgency of the CBA deal, mentioning that the fans need to see the product.
While there are uncertainties around the 2026 WNBA season and players’ future, CC spoke about retirement via a comment on a social media post.
LeBron James Reacts To Caitlin Clark’s Retirement Remark
The 2024 rookie is a LBJ fan and openly called him her GOAT on multiple occasions. The star is still a starter for the Los Angeles Lakers and is delivering huge numbers at 41. A social media post revealed the secret of his long career, mentioning the sacrifices he makes every season.
Fever Girl reacted to the post, saying she would retire rather than sacrifice the chocolate chip cookies. James reacted to the comment in an interview where he said, “When it started, I don’t know. But it’s been there for quite a while. She’s disciplined as well, and I guarantee if she had to give up something in order to get her back on the floor, she’d do it as well.”
📲| LeBron on seeing Caitlin Clark’s comment:
— cc ✧˙˖ (@clarkmode_) February 21, 2026
“I saw that — Um, but she’s disciplined as well. And I guarantee if she had to give up something in order to get her back on the floor, she’d do it as well.” pic.twitter.com/2VhNrcAtNz
His confidence in the WNBA star speaks volumes, as the star also showed great character by working hard on injuries for an early return. Whether it’s in 2026 or later, the CBA deal will decide that.