Silver says WNBA deal will get
done, but relationship issues with the players must be repaired
[October 07, 2025]
By BRIAN MAHONEY
STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said a new
collective bargaining agreement with WNBA players will be reached,
but acknowledged relationship issues that must be repaired following
recent criticisms of Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
Those reached a high point last week when Minnesota's Napheesa
Collier said the league had the "worst leadership in the world,” and
they have threatened to overshadow the WNBA Finals between Las Vegas
and Phoenix that began days afterward.
“There’s no question that the WNBA is going through growing pains
and it’s unfortunate that it’s coming just as their most important
games and their finals are on right now,” Silver said Monday. “We’ve
had two fantastic games so far and we want to celebrate the game at
the moment, and then we’ve got to sit down with the players and
negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.”
Engelbert has also said a new deal will get done, albeit not
necessarily by the Oct. 31 deadline. Negotiators for the league and
the players association were expected to meet this week.
Players are seeking significant changes following the WNBA's
enormous growth in recent seasons and some have expressed their
frustration with Engelbert — though not as loudly and forcefully as
Collier, the runner-up for the league's MVP.
“Cathy Engelbert has presided over historic growth in the league but
there’s no question that there’s issues that we need to address with
our players, not just economic,” Silver said. “There’s relationship
issues as well. I’m confident we can fix those over time and this
league can continue to be on the rocket trajectory that it’s on
right now.”
Silver spoke at NBC Sports headquarters to discuss the network’s
return to broadcasting the league this season. It will also televise
the WNBA Finals in 2026.
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NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a press conference, June
5, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings, file)
Former Lakers guard Derek Fisher was the National
Basketball Players Association president in 2011 when the league and
union couldn't reach an agreement in time and a lockout reduced the
season to 66 games. He said it was rare to see someone express
themselves the way Collier did during bargaining, but understood the
reason.
“It’s not the norm, but those were the feelings a lot of times,”
said Fisher, who also coached in the WNBA and will be one of NBC's
game analysts for its NBA coverage.
“Whenever you’re in the heat of high stakes negotiations and
conversions and discussions, it reaches the level of distrust
sometimes, misunderstandings due to miscommunication or poor
communication. But ultimately, until you reach an agreement, there
is a very adversarial nature to it until you come back together.”
Silver insisted they will.
“We will get a deal done with the players,” he said. “Lots of work
left to be done, but we’ll of course get a new collective bargaining
agreement.”
It may not be easy. Fisher said he can sense that WNBA players feel
they have not been valued enough and have a disconnect with league's
management.
“I think the W could have been at this point sooner,” Fisher said.
“Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese kind of reaccelerated the growth, but
this league has always been a special league. And so I think that
the players are just saying we can’t allow some of the things that
have taken place in our previous 27-year history. We don’t want to
leave the girls over the next 20 years in the position that we were
in when we had no leverage.”
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