Angel Reese has suggested a player strike is on the table if the WNBA does not meet demands for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) has already opted out of its current CBA, meaning the deal will expire in October this year, rather than in 2027.
Reese has suggested a WNBA players strike has been discussedCredit: Getty
With a number of sticking points between players and the league office, a prolonged dispute is said to be looming.
And speaking on Friday, Reese claimed her fellow WNBA stars are ready to take action.
“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,” the Chicago Sky power forward told Dijonai Carrington on her Unapologetically Angel podcast.
“That’s a possibility, for real,” Carrington responded.
Reese’s comments caused a social media frenzy, and on Saturday she responded to the furore.
“I love how yall have selective hearing,” she posted on X.
“I said ‘I’m hearing if they don’t give us what we want, we sitting out’ and that’s the truth. I never said anything about the NBA. We are prepared to stay at the negotiating table for as long as it takes.
She then posted a link to her podcast, encouraging people to hear the conversation for themselves.
“Here’s the link to my podcast so you can hear the conversation too. I will continue to use my voice to speak for what WE want & deserve as a league. Thank ya😘”.
According to Sportico, Carrington was the WNBPA union rep for the Connecticut Sun last season, before being traded to Dallas last month.
Reese, meanwhile, doesn’t have a formal role in the organization, as Diamond DeShields served as the Sky’s rep in 2024.
Her former teammates, Elizabeth Williams and Brianna Turner, who are now with Indiana Fever, are the WNBPA’s secretary and treasurer, respectively.
Reese and Clark have taken the WNBA to new heights in their rookie yearCredit: Getty
Reese discussed a potential strike on her podcast this weekCredit: Getty
Reese, though, was part of a rookie class that helped change the dynamics of the WNBA last year, with the arrival of Caitlin Clark also contributing to an explosion in popularity.
Last July, the league struck an 11-year media deal with Disney, Amazon Prime Video and new rights holder NBCUniversal, that is said to be worth a massive $2.2billion, or $200m annually.
That will begin in 2026, while expansion teams in San Francisco, Portland and Toronto have been confirmed.
Reese herself signed a four-year, $324,383 rookie contract ahead of her first pro season, with a base salary of just under $75,000.
During her conversation with Carrington, she noted that the 2025 WNBA Draft class will probably make significantly less money than the one that follows due to the next CBA changing the salary structure.
She added that it is even possible rookies under the next CBA will out-earn her.
“We deserve more, everybody,” Reese, who was named a WNBA All Star in her debut season, said.
Last October, the WNBPA announced its decision to opt out of its collective bargaining agreement with the league, giving the parties 12 months to negotiate a new deal in the wake of the sport’s massive growth.
“The players made the decision to opt out of the last CBA to realign the business and save the league from its own limitations,” WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson said in a statement.
The WNBA’s popularity has exploded in recent yearsCredit: Getty
“If y’all don’t give us what we want, we sitting out” 👀💰
“With a stronger foundation and new investments flowing in, they’re opting out again – this time to fully professionalize the league, secure proper wages, improve working conditions and lock in meaningful benefits.”
Players are also expected to push for an ‘equity-based’ economic model based on the league’s business measurements, minimum facility and travel standards, expanded retirement benefits and increased family support.
Reese, who has already established herself as one of the biggest names in women’s basketball, has previously suggested her WNBA salary not enough to pay her bills.
“I just hope you know the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all. I don’t even think that pays one of my bills,” she said on Instagram.
Reese has previously claimed her WNBA salary does not cover her billsCredit: Getty
“Literally, I’m trying to think of my rent for where I stay at. I’m gonna do the math real quick. I don’t even know my salary.
“Yo, I’m living beyond my means! No, my rent is more than that. It’s $8,000. I’m living beyond my means.”
On top of her WNBA salary, Reese also has endorsement deals with the likes of Reebok and Beats by Dre.
