Talks have been heating up since the WNBA and WNBPA extended the deadline once again in their ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations. Players from around the league have been making their thoughts known on issues with the W's leadership, and Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is now the latest to chime in on where things stand.
“I think the most important thing for myself, thinking about these CBA negotiations, [is that] this is the biggest moment the WNBA has ever seen. It's not something that can be messed up, and we're going to fight for everything we deserve, but at the same time, we need to play basketball,” Clark began.
“I think there are different things that we can find ways to say, ‘No, we certainly deserve that, and we're not going to compromise on that,'” Clark told the media at USA Basketball's senior training camp. “And then [there are] other things that we can probably compromise on. You want to understand both sides and be respectful of both sides, but at the end of the day, come to a compromise.”
Caitlin Clark shares her thoughts on state of CBA negotiations, avoiding a lockout, etc. at Duke.
She’s here for USA Basketball Training Camp under HC Kara Lawson, one of 10 players making their first senior national team camp appearance. pic.twitter.com/JWSYC5Bw1Z
— Shelby Swanson (@shelbymswanson) December 12, 2025
The new CBA negotiation deadline is set for January 9, 2026, and if a deal is still not reached by that point, the WNBA will be at risk of entering its first work stoppage in history. Clark reiterated that the players' association wants to avoid this outcome, as do the fans.
“[Our fans crave] the product on the floor. That's what the fans want to show up for,” Clark said. “So it's business, and it's a negotiation, and there has to be compromise on both sides. And we're starting to get down to the wire of it.”
The WNBA unveiled its latest proposal with updated terms at the start of December. However, the WNBPA quickly dismissed the suggested deal, as at least one player called it a “slap in the face.”
The proposal would also raise the average player's salary to over $500,000, while the minimum salary would remain around $225,000. A salary cap increase to $5 million, which would be directly tied to revenue growth in each year the agreement is valid, is also included. The new monetary values are a slight increase from the last offer the league made to the players' union.
