WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert addresses attendees at a Cleveland WNBA event celebrating the return of Ohio women’s professional basketball at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on September 16, 2025. Players decided to avoid a lockout with the WNBA owners and consider the league’s latest proposal for the WNBPA a “win.”
“I want to play, and the players want to play,” WNBPA first vice president Kelsey Plum said Monday before the Unrivaled semifinals in New York. “And obviously we will continue to negotiate and do everything possible to get this done in a timely manner. But obviously a strike would be the worst thing for both sides, because we are on a revenue (sharing system) and we have no revenue and no revenue to share.”
According to multiple reports, the gap between what players have asked the league to share and what percentage of revenue the league is offering remains a major stumbling block in negotiations.
The players sent a proposal to the league on Friday specifying 26% of gross revenue (before expenses) plus housing and travel allowances. The WNBA said the proposal was “unrealistic” and would result in significant financial losses.
Plum is on a player-led panel of executives working to prevent losses and any form of lockout in the regular season schedule. However, the WNBPA has set a March 10 deadline for an end-of-semester agreement. Negotiating after that date risks lost games and lost revenue, according to the league.
“At this point, it’s no longer a negotiation,” Paige Bueckers said. “I think we need to continue these conversations and actually implement change to move our position forward. As players, we don’t want a strike. We want to have a season. I love basketball. That’s all I want to do. But again, it’s something that needs to be dealt with. We have to do it as professionals.”
Bueckers, who is in her second WNBA season in Dallas, and Brittany Griner, who was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft 13 years ago, shared different perspectives.
Griner, who turns 36 in October, said the progress made from the past CBA, which “didn’t value” players, was important.
The latest league proposal, sent to the players’ association on Sunday, offers a quicker path to achieving a higher maximum contract. For example, a player named All-WNBA First or Second Team can receive a maximum extension in the fourth year of their rookie contract.
Breanna Stewart said neither side has a complete offer without negotiations for adjustments.
“Neither one of them is ready to vote. There needs to be negotiation, up and down, in many ways,” Stewart said.
Natasha Cloud believes players are still underpaid. She said the $200,000 annual salary increase is before taxes and housing, but the latest league proposal would eliminate that.
“(Mid-level paid players) are still not making enough money to exclude housing,” Cloud said Monday. “I’m still focused on the middle (salary range). … I think there’s more that can be done to protect the middle.”
Plum said talks will continue and noted progress is being made.
“I’ve always been one to focus on the gains, not the gaps, and honestly, coming into the league and looking at where we’ve come so far and now that we have a revenue share, I think it’s a huge win.
“Obviously we will continue to negotiate. I cannot emphasize that enough. I want to make it clear that we have not just reached an agreement, but I am very proud to be a part of this opportunity to transform women’s sport.”
–Field level media
