Angel Reese has issued a stark warning about a potential WNBA lockout as players demand significant changes in the league’s next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). During a recent episode of her podcast, Unapologetically Angel, the Chicago Sky forward revealed that many players are considering sitting out the 2026 season if the league does not meet their demands.
Reese, the runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2024, discussed the growing player frustration with Dallas Wings guard Dijonai Carrington, who previously served as the WNBPA union representative for the Connecticut Sun.
Angel Reese: "Yeah, the CBA is coming up. I can't wait."
DiJonai Carrington: "Girl, y'all benefited from everything. Y'all youngins benefited from NIL."
Angel Reese: "What does that mean? We deserve more. Everybody."
DiJonai Carrington: " I agree. I agree with that."
Angel Reese: "But we gotta face the consequences."
DiJonai Carrington: " Y'all got to give us something."
Angel Reese: "But the women coming in, not this year, but next year. The ones coming this year will still be on the rookie contract again. The ones that a year after, they probably gonna be making more than us."
DiJonai Carrington: "They are."
Angel Reese: "I'm hurt."
DiJonai Carrington: "I've been in the meetings, they are."
Angel Reese: " I got to get in the meetings, because I'm hearing like, if y'all don't give us what we want, we sitting out."
DiJonai Carrington: " That's a possibility, for real."
The WNBA has never faced a lockout before, but with rising player frustration, this negotiation cycle could be its most contentious yet. The league’s financial landscape has dramatically changed since the last CBA was agreed upon in 2020. Back then, the WNBA was still struggling to gain mainstream attention.
Now, with sold-out arenas and major corporate sponsorships, players argue that their compensation should reflect the league’s success.
One of the biggest issues Reese highlighted is the expected salary disparity between the 2025 and 2026 rookie classes. With a new CBA expected to dramatically increase salaries, incoming rookies in 2026 could be making more than current players, adding further tension to the situation.
This has already impacted player contracts, with Brittney Griner and Satou Sabally signing one-year deals to ensure they can renegotiate under the new system.
The WNBA's explosive growth has also led to expansion franchises in San Francisco, Portland, and Toronto, which will further increase the league’s revenue. However, players argue that none of this matters if they are not compensated fairly.
If negotiations do not progress favorably, the threat of a WNBA work stoppage in 2026 could become a reality. With rising public support for women’s sports, the league faces immense pressure to strike a fair deal—or risk alienating its most valuable assets: the players themselves.
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