For the first time this offseason, there seems to be a legitimate light at the end of the tunnel in the hotly contested CBA negotiations between the WNBA and the league’s players association.
Walking the red carpet at the SI Sportsperson of the Year Award ceremony in Las Vegas on Tuesday, New York Liberty star and WNPBA vice president Breanna Stewart provided Ballislife with an exclusive update.
She admitted that reaching a deal with the league before Friday’s extended deadline will be a challenge, but expressed confidence that it could be on the horizon sooner, rather than later.
“I mean, (within) the next three days is tough for sure. I am very confident that we will get a deal done. It’s kind of unfortunate that it’s taken this long, but hopefully we’re going to be able to turn the page soon and really kind of get deep into all the negotiations that we’ve been struggling to agree on.”
The WNBA CBA deadline is just two days away!
Breanna Stewart exclusively tells @Ballislife that “she’s very confident” a deal will get done.
Do you think the WNBA and WNBPA will come to an agreement by Friday?
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— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 7, 2026
Innovators of the Year
Stewart was honored on behalf of herself and fellow WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier as the duo received the 2025 Sports Illustrated Innovator(s) of the Year Award behind their efforts in co-founding Unrivaled, the 3×3 offseason women’s basketball league that provided WNBA players with an alternative to spending their winter overseas.
“Being Innovator of the Year with Napheesa is a huge accomplishment and honor,” Stewart said. “It shows all the success that we have from Unrivaled in year one and what we’re going to have in year two. I think that we’re just making sure that we have a space for professional female athletes all the time where you’re able to get the best content, you’re able to see different deals, and really understand players’ stories on and off the court.”
(Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)
Sooner Rather Than Later?
While Collier was unable to attend the ceremony, she recently expressed confidence that a deal between the league and the WNBPA could be reached in the near future. Considering where Collier and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert stood just a few short months ago, the recent positivity feels like a step toward an inevitable solution.
“I do think a deal’s gonna get done,” Collier said on Monday’s Unrivaled broadcast. “We’re standing firm in what we believe in. We’re not going to back down, and we can’t take less. The sport has just grown too much, it would be a disservice to the people who came before us, to the work that we put in, to take less than what we’re owed.”
Major Co-Sign
Reddit co-founder and Angel City FC CEO Alexis Ohanian presented Stewart with the award on Tuesday. He credited Stewart and Collier for their efforts to move the game forward, expressing confidence that a deal will get done with the league while also noting the demand for women’s basketball as a whole.
“There is more evidence than ever for the value of women’s sports and women’s basketball in particular,” Ohanian said. “And what is that evidence? It’s viewership numbers. It’s attendance, brand dollars. In America, the ‘ball don’t lie’ moment is when the free market says this is valuable.
“The way the free market says it’s undeniably valuable is through viewership, attendance, and revenue. On every one of those marks, it’s been the top women’s team sport in America. I think we all want to see both parties come together in a great WNBA season, so I think they’ll get it sorted.”
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