The WNBA has experienced one of the best growth periods in its history over the past two years, making the upcoming CBA negotiations even more crucial.

Two of the league’s top players, Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky and DiJonai Carrington of the Dallas Wings, indicated in Reese’s podcast, “Unapologetically Angel,” that the players are fully prepared to not play games if the WNBA does not meet their demands.

Angel Reese is expected to receive a significant salary increase with the new WNBA collective bargaining agreement. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
(Geoff Stellfox via Getty Images)
Reese and Carrington emphasized that the rookies for the 2026 season should greatly benefit from this likely increase in their base salary, before hinting that meetings with the WNBPA have discussed the possibility of a strike.

“I have to attend the meetings because I often hear, ‘If you don’t give us what we want, we will sit out,'” Reese said.

“It’s a real possibility.”

Last year, WNBA players chose not to participate in the current collective bargaining agreement, which was set to expire in 2027. They will still play the 2025 season under the current CBA rules, but there is only one year left before the two sides reach an agreement.

This collective bargaining negotiation has been highly anticipated since the league’s viewership started soaring following the arrival of Caitlin Clark, although it was already slightly on the rise before her arrival. The final game of the 2024 WNBA Finals, without Clark, saw a 142% increase in viewership compared to the same game last year.

The salaries and benefits in the WNBA have always been low enough to require supplements from sponsorship contracts and appearances in other leagues, even for the biggest stars of the WNBA. The league is undergoing significant changes, and it is unlikely that the players will allow their numbers to continue rising without reaping the benefits.

Reese, who once stated that she didn’t think her WNBA salary would allow her to pay a single bill, also had an outstanding season with the Sky. Carrington, named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player in 2024, was traded to the Wings last month after spending four years with the Connecticut Sun.