The CBA discussions in 2026 seemed to be a never-ending point of contention for the WNBPA and WNBA, as the players’ association is ready to go to the wire over its demands. Sophie Cunningham criticized the WNBA owners’ approach to the ongoing CBA negotiations, calling for greater generosity in the discussion.
Amid the year-long discussion, one thing that stood out was the unity among the players; not only WNBA players remained on the front, but the NBPA also supported their cause, and the NFL and MLS player associations also extended their support to the WNBPA.
Chris Paul And Jaylen Brown With Word Of Advice For WNBA Players
The NBA All-Star weekend was an event for the biggest basketball stars on the planet to showcase their talent and skills in the annual gala. But the 2026 NBA All-Star game had another topic shadowing all the glitz: WNBA CBA negotiations.
Chris Paul, a former NBPA representative, offered advice to the WNBPA on the ongoing discussion and called for unity. In the interview, he said, “My biggest advice would be unity, as a committee as a player. So many different players will have so many different views, but any time when you find the way to be together, you are a lot stronger together, and I think that’s what we learned from our years.”
Former and current NBPA leaders, Chris Paul and Jaylen Brown on whether they have any advice for the WNBPA in their CBA negotiations:
— Natalie Esquire (@natfluential) February 16, 2026
Jaylen Brown: “Get what you deserve.”
Chris Paul: “Unity…be together” pic.twitter.com/yH4edEhUv9
The NBPA cracked a massive CBA deal with the league authorities and never had a unity issue as the association backed the players and fought for a better playing environment. Jaylen Brown also gave similar advice to the WNBPA, asking the stars to ‘get what they deserve.’
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
Candace Parker already declared that the power lies with the players’ association with their uniform approach, keeping the league in check. Though there were rumors of a rift within the WNBPA, the association has managed to stick together on key aspects.
Nneka Ogwumike Highlights Unity As Key Ingredient In WNBPA’s Success
During the recent extension expiration, many feared that the players’ association would undergo a meltdown, losing patience over the amount of time given for the discussions. The president stepped up and called for unity among the players, recognizing the importance of their ability to stay united in tough conditions.
Talking to ESPN about the past few months of discussions, she said, “I’m really proud of how professional, and really patient, we’ve been as a collective. But quite frankly, this is my third CBA that I’ve been a part of, so I feel like I’ve been a part of three different eras, and this is by far the most transformational era that we’ve been a part of.”
This Q&A from @katie_barnes3 with Nneka Ogwumike and Napheesa Collier is worth your time today:https://t.co/Li5bU98oTi
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) January 9, 2026
Up till now, the WNBPA has succeeded in its quest for a better deal and will be waiting for another ‘improved’ offer from the league, getting closer to their actual demands.