Moments earlier than making desires come for prospects chosen within the 2025 WNBA Draft, commissioner Cathy Engelbert answered questions on the state of the league.
The commissioner largely deflected on probably the most related subject — particulars on a brand new potential collective bargaining settlement for the 2026 WNBA season — however she did disclose a brand new process power to fight hate; share her ideas on varied elite collegiate prospects opting to make use of a further yr of eligibility as an alternative of getting into the draft; and answered questions on the chances of recent locations for enlargement franchises.
Right here’s what Engelbert shared — and didn’t share — throughout her media availability.
NOTHING TO SHARE ON NEW CBA
With the present CBA set to run out on the finish of the 2025 season, the WNBA world is anticipating a brand new construction that might present higher advantages, enhance working environments and pay higher salaries amongst different worker wants.
The commissioner mentioned “there’s nothing to report” and talks between the league and participant’s affiliation are “in the early phases.”
“So we’re in process of discussing what’s important to the players, owners, etc,” she mentioned.
“I’m really optimistic about the future of this league… and certainly optimistic about coming to a transformational CBA at this point.”
Hours earlier than Engelbert took the rostrum inside The Shed — this yr’s web site for the draft in Manhattan — a Bloomberg report acknowledged that the participant’s union remains to be ready for the league to interact in substantial talks on a brand new contract after the game’s reputation surged. The report added that the union offered a top level view for a CBA in December that included considerably greater salaries, however the league hasn’t responded to it.
“Inaccurate that any proposal was offered in December,” the commissioner mentioned when requested concerning the accuracy of the report. “Accurate we’ll continue to meet and work together staff to staff.”
Engelbert added the league “recently” bought a proposal from the participant’s affiliation.
“We’ll work on that as soon as we get through tonight.”
Each events have met a number of instances in hopes to come back nearer to phrases on a brand new CBA, with gamers expressing the aforementioned wants required to strike a deal.
On Monday, Engelbert declined to share what the WNBA views as a good deal.
“We’re not going to barter within the media. We’re going to barter with the gamers throughout the bargaining desk.
COMBATING HATE TOWARDS WOMEN’S SPORTS
The WNBA assembled a four-pronged process power in an effort to offer a secure setting for gamers and groups, the commissioner revealed Monday. The pillars within the process power embrace:
Monitoring social media and different digital platforms to detect feedback and threats
Strengthening conduct requirements throughout all WNBA platforms, together with league arenas
Safety measures put in place on the league and staff ranges
Continued providers of devoted psychological well being clinicians addressing considerations that gamers have in a well timed
“More to come on this as we get to the tip of the season in May,” the commissioner mentioned.
The duty power comes because the league experiences speedy development — on-line and in in-person — for a league filed with “digital-native” 20 and 30 yr olds.
WHERE WILL THE W EXPAND TO?
The 2025 WNBA season will characteristic the league’s thirteenth and latest franchise — the Golden State Valkyries. In 2026, a brand new staff will start play in Portland whereas Toronto would be the new residence for the Tempo.
The WNBA plans to broaden to 16 groups by no later than 2028 and “we’re still on track for that,” per Engelbert.
In response to a query based mostly on a report that named three cities specifically as potential enlargement spots — Cleveland, Houston and Philadelphia — the commissioner declined to substantiate, however mentioned there’s a “huge demand in our bidding process for a WNBA team in not only those cities but a lot of other cities.”
PLAYERS STAYING IN COLLEGE
With the anticipated arrival of a brand new 2026 CBA that might hike payer salaries, draft-eligible collegiate gamers had an incentive to take one other yr in class as an alternative of getting into the 2025 draft.
UConn’s Azzi Fudd and new TCU switch Olivia Miles — two prospects that will’ve certainly been 2025 lottery choose — have been amongst some gamers that took a further yr of eligibility.
Engelbert doesn’t see gamers forgoing the draft as a slight to the league and the choice is “OK.”
“First of all, we have an amazing potential rookie class that you’re going to see tonight,” she mentioned.
“College is something that players are going to make their own decisions of when they come out, when they don’t. We don’t pressure them. We’re not disappointed in any of them. We love the fact that the NCAA has been such a strong theater into the WNBA.”
