Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star Angel Reese has said players could strike if the league doesn’t give them what they want in their next collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) opted out of the league’s CBA last October, stating that players are seeking a “business model that reflects their true value, encompassing higher salaries”, among other benefits, including possibly seeing a bigger chunk of league revenue.
A work stoppage has been mooted if a new CBA isn’t reached by the end of the 2025 season. The most recent agreement was due to expire in 2027.
Amid the potential for a protracted labour dispute, Reese has now said WNBA players could refuse to play in 2026 to ensure better CBA terms.
“I need to be in the [players’ union] meetings because I’m hearing that if [the league] don’t give us what we want, we’re sitting out,” said Reese, who was speaking on her Unapologetically Angel podcast.
WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson subsequently said the union would not comment directly on Reese’s comments but it was committed to securing “a transformational deal”.
“As a union, we’re fully engaged in the CBA negotiation process with the league, and our focus remains on securing an agreement that reflects the value and contributions of our players,” said Jackson.
“Our members are passionate about the future of this league, and we’re proud to represent a group that’s united, dialled in, and pushing for a transformational deal that’s fair.
“We won’t comment on individual statements right now. Our priority is the work happening at the table. We’ll provide updates as we move forward together.”
Reese was one of the leading athletes in a standout draft class that helped take the WNBA to various viewership and attendance milestones in the 2024 season, including the league’s most-watched regular season in 24 years.
A study from Relo Metrics, meanwhile, found that the WNBA delivered a record US$136 million in media value for sponsors during the 2024 regular season. The league is also due to receive as much as US$2.2 billion over 11 years from the 2026 season as part of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) next domestic broadcast rights deals.
With Reese hearing from fellow players that a strike remains a firm possibility, further public comments from high-profile WNBA stars would ramp up the pressure on the league ahead of CBA talks. Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark has not spoken publicly on the matter but her agent Erin Kane said last month that she was hopeful of a “progressive” CBA negotiation.
“The most important thing always has been getting WNBA players paid for what they do on the court,” Kane told ESPN. “I’m very, very hopeful for this CBA negotiation that it will be progressive and move the line forward a lot.”
