WNBPA executive committee members Breanna Stewart and Kelsey Plum sent a three-page letter to WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson expressing their “serious concerns” about how non-player union leadership is handling the negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, according to ESPN. Tuesday’s stunning report highlights the growing tension inside the WNBPA ahead of the reported March 10 deadline to agree to a new CBA. If a deal is not in place by March 10, the 2026 season, which is supposed to begin on May 8, will not start on time, the league told the WNBPA and teams last month. Growing discontent with WNBPA leader JacksonPlum is the first vice president of the WNBPA, while Stewart is a vice president. In their letter, which was obtained by ESPN, the duo called for “a changed dynamic between our PA administrators and the players” and wrote “we do not feel like we have an adequate seat at the table in these negotiations.” The WNBPA declined comment to ESPN, and reportedly held a meeting Tuesday to discuss the letter — which Stewart and Plum sent in mid-February — and the result of a recent survey sent to players.
Late last month, the WNBPA reportedly held a contentious meeting, which Jackson called “spirited, passionate, and at times tough,” in a letter obtained by Front Office Sports. Furthermore, a group of nearly a dozen powerful agents sent a letter to Jackson last week stating “our collective preference for transparency and coordinated communication” about the CBA negotiations, according to ESPN. Jackson has been the WNBPA executive director since 2016 and oversaw the negotiations on the most recent CBA, which was ratified in 2020. The players opted out of that agreement in October of 2024, and it officially expired in January after multiple extensions. Over the last 17 months, the WNBPA and the WNBA have been locked in a contentious labor battle over a new CBA. The stalemate is now threatening to disrupt, or, in a worst-case scenario, cancel the 2026 season. Stewart and Plum’s letter makes it clear that some players are not happy with the job Jackson and her staff are doing to get a new deal in place — while acknowledging that she wants what is best for the players.
“We are frustrated that we have not made more progress as we near the March 10 deadline, and we believe this is a result of a breakdown in communication…
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2026-03-04 04:27:15
