WNBA

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) stands at a critical juncture. As collective bargaining discussions continue, the players face a familiar challenge: negotiating fair compensation while operating in an information vacuum. It’s time for a strategic reset that prioritizes transparency, leverages the league’s undeniable momentum, and employs proven negotiation expertise. The Transparency Imperative The WNBPA’s number one priority should be securing full financial transparency or comprehensive audit rights—even if not publicly disclosed. Currently, players are forced to negotiate against a narrative claiming the league loses $40-50 million annually. Without access to verify these figures, the WNBPA is essentially negotiating blindfolded. ...

A reporter caught flack for asking Angel Reese what seemed like a complimentary question about her off-hand finishing: Reporter: “Off-hand finishing, how much did you work on that? Your right hand was working a lot tonight.” Angel: “I’m right-handed.” The moment sparked debate—but the question wasn’t out of line. In fact, it was rooted in observation. Reese regularly finishes and shoots with her left hand, (images below), even though she identifies as right-handed. That’s not unusual in basketball—plenty of elite players shoot with their non-dominant hand, including LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, Rudy Gobert, Chris Paul, James Harden and Lisa Leslie. ...