Women's Health March 6, 2026 0 Comments

Inside the CBA Battle: 6 WNBA Stars Speak Out on the Game-Changing Issues That Could Revolutionize Women’s Basketball Forever

The WNBA is roaring louder than ever—imagine record crowds packing arenas, viewership numbers soaring, and a staggering $2.2 billion media rights deal shaking up the game. You’d think the league’s 30th anniversary season would be a grand slam celebration, right? Well, not quite. As the 2026 tipoff inches closer, tensions are mounting behind the scenes. With a tight March 10 deadline looming for a new collective bargaining agreement, the league faces the real possibility of a strike or lockout that could bench the season before it even starts. It begs the question: in a world where the WNBA’s profile has never been higher, will the players—the heart and soul of this revolution—actually reap the rewards they deserve? Let’s dive into the fiery negotiation spotlight, where passion, progress, and paychecks collide.

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6 min read

The WNBA should be basking in the biggest moment of its 30-year history. The league is experiencing record attendance, record viewership, and a $2.2 billion media rights deal. Team valuations have skyrocketed into the hundreds of millions and expansion teams are lining up to get in.

The 2026 season is supposed to be a landmark anniversary—a moment meant to reflect how far women’s basketball has come. Instead, it may not start on time.

After months of negotiations, the WNBA and its players’ association are quickly approaching a March 10 deadline to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement. Without a deal, a strike or lockout could delay the league’s May 8 tipoff. What should be a victory lap has become a question of whether the league’s growth will meaningfully benefit the players whose performance and personalities are the faces of a monumental shift in women’s sports.

“We’re doing everything to grow this game and the business, and somehow we’re still fighting to be valued for the work we put in,” Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray, one of the team’s WNBPA player representatives, told Women’s Health in December. “The mindset of, ‘We’re just grateful for what we have’—it’s done. So that’s why we’re pushing back and pushing against the grain and what has been done historically in the past.”

Under the previous agreement, WNBA players received less than 10 percent of league revenue—far below the roughly 50 percent split NBA players receive. In its most recent proposal, the union is pushing for about 26 percent, a number they’ve made concessions on in negotiations. The league has countered with a different model, offering players more than 70 percent of net revenue, which works out to less than 15 percent of total revenue after expenses. League officials say the union’s proposal would be financially risky; players argue the offer still doesn’t match the league’s rapid growth or the role they’ve played in it.

Salary increases are also on the table. In the league’s proposal, average pay is projected to rise from about $120,000 in 2025 to more than $500,000 in 2026, with top contracts eventually reaching seven figures.

The players opted out of their previous deal in 2024 (it officially expired in 2025) because the business of the WNBA had changed. They can point to real numerical evidence that they are not asking for charity—they are asking for a partnership that reflects reality. And this fight is forging a stronger sense of solidarity among players than ever before.

“The best thing about it is the feeling of unity and togetherness, and knowing that we are going to hold strong and be a united front to make sure that the CBA is transformational,” says Naz Hillmon, forward and player representative for the Atlanta Dream. Heading into her fifth year in the league, these are her first CBA negotiations as a union rep, and she’s now armed with more knowledge about the business she and her colleagues helped grow.

Gray, an 11-year WNBA veteran, says it’s inspiring to see how many players join CBA meetings this time around, eager to get information directly from the source. “There’s something really beautiful about the unity within that and how that’s been built over the years,” she says. “I really love the fact that everybody’s joining these calls. There’s this unity about this league that’s really, really special.”

A strike authorization passed with overwhelming support in December, but no one wants to halt the league’s momentum. The willingness to even consider it underscores how strongly players feel that this is a defining moment. The 2026 season hangs in the balance, but the impact these negotiations could have on the future of women’s sports is even greater.

Beyond salary and revenue share, the WNBPA is also asking for stronger protections for mothers and families, long-term benefits for retired players, and a higher standard for practice facilities. All of these items work in tandem to provide the world’s best basketball players with the support they need to perform at the highest level. Ahead, six players tell WH what matters to them and why.

“I’ve always spoken up for the moms in the WNBA, because there’s things that can be better for them. One of the concerns I’ve raised was around per diem—when I had [my daughter] Naomi [in 2021], I was nursing, so she had to come with me everywhere, and then I would have either my mom or my husband as my caregiver. But even for one person, the per diem right now is pretty low.

I would also love to see a three-bedroom option for player housing to support caregivers, and designated spaces to nurse your baby in every facility on game days. I’ve had to nurse in a conference room on the road before. Little things like this for moms will go a long way.”

Rachel Banham, guard and player representative, Chicago Sky

“For me, ensuring fair compensation is about long-term security for everyone involved in the game. That’s why salary, revenue sharing, and strong pension and player-benefit programs are so important to me.

These are some elements that create stability, reward the value we bring, and protect players well beyond their active years. When these foundations are strong, it allows us to focus on performing at the highest level while knowing our futures are supported.”

Naz Hillmon, forward and player representative, Atlanta Dream

“[Securing the CBA] would mean a ton for me as a player in the league now, but it would make me feel greater thinking about the players before us and the players that come after. We have some greats who have not necessarily been compensated based on what they brought to this league. We were able to use what came before us to build those stepping stones, and hopefully continue to build for those to come after, because there’s just so much talent in the league and to follow.

We just want it to be a great league where players are paid fairly and correctly, and they’re safe in their facilities or their playing arenas. That’s super important for those before us and after to know, that we’re continuing to fight no matter what.”

Elizabeth Williams, WNBPA secretary and center, Chicago Sky

“I have played 11 years in this league, and I have been part of union player leadership in some capacity for almost every single one. One of the biggest reasons for that is to maximize the player’s experience. Charter flights, practice facility standards, housing, medical and training staff—these are often areas that get overlooked when we talk so much about increasing player salaries.

Salary is the priority, yes. Yet if you want the best players on the floor putting out the best product, our bodies have to be prepared at the highest level. Those areas are often left behind despite our growth as a league. We are professional athletes. Every aspect of the experience must reflect that professionalism, and this is vital in the new CBA.”

Chelsea Gray, guard and player representative, Las Vegas Aces

“The salary system, the cap, all of that, but also the revenue that we generate and revenue share. And I would say obviously care for mothers, care for building a family and what that looks like. Better working conditions—the practice facility should be the standard. And then also protecting our legacy in the future, what that looks like with retired players who have given a lot of years of service to this league.

It’s not even just about me. It’s people that retired before me. Even as late as Sheryl Swoopes, and you have most recently with Sue [Bird] and Candace [Parker], you have Sylvia Fowles, you have all these players that had 10-plus years in this league. So what does that look like besides adding to a 401k or something that you take out of your check? I just think that’s an important piece and dynamic that we’re missing here in our women’s league.

Obviously, the stipend is a huge thing to be able to afford taking care of a child, and the housing that goes along with that. Housing players and housing mothers that are coming from overseas, moving a whole family to a new city—what does that look like? That is a huge piece. And partnerships with medical companies and companies that help with family building and family planning, I believe is huge as well.”

Maddy Westbeld, forward, Chicago Sky

“Securing an adequate CBA matters to me because it’s personal. We know what it takes to live and perform as professional athletes. Right now, the salaries players earn don’t reflect the demands of this lifestyle or the pace at which our industry is growing.

We put everything into this profession and having the proper resources, both implicit and explicit, is essential—not only for myself, but for the players beside me and for the young athletes who dream of making it to this stage. We should be looking forward to earning what we are all worth. These needs aren’t optional, and with all due respect, they can’t be negotiated.”

Amanda Lucci is the director of special projects at Women’s Health, where she works on multi-platform brand initiatives and social media strategy. She also leads the sports and athletes vertical, traveling to cover the Paris Olympics, Women’s World Cup, WNBA Finals, and NCAA Final Four for WH. She has nearly 15 years of experience writing, editing, and managing social media for national and international publications and is also a NASM-certified personal trainer. A proud native of Pittsburgh, PA, she is a graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Follow her on Instagram @alucci.