Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Amongst Stars Who Get Reality Check on CBA Negotiations From WNBA Legend

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game wasn’t just a showcase; it turned into a moment of defiance. In Indianapolis, every All-Star walked onto the court wearing black T-shirts that read Pay Us What You Owe Us. It turned the night into a protest that instantly grabbed headlines. The surprising move was led by WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike, who rallied everyone, from Caitlin Clark to Paige Bueckers, to unify behind the bold statement. But that day hasn’t been void of criticisms.

In the arena, the reception couldn’t have been better with nearly 17,000 fans roaring in support. But off of it? We cannot say the same. While Candace Parker voiced that the players should have put up a better game if they had come out with the message as bold, another WNBA legend has questioned if it was the right wording at all.

Sitting on the TFU Podcast panel, Nancy ‘Lady Magic’ Lieberman opened up by prefacing that she supports the cause players are fighting for. “The women playing in the W right now are incredible gatekeepers to the game. They’re fighting for equality. So I will never turn on my sisters and say you shouldn’t fight for equality. I’m a minority. There are a lot of minorities that are out there that are fighting every day.” However, what she cannot align herself with is the way of protest that Caitlin Clark and other players chose.

“So, all I’m going to say is how we negotiate. I would not negotiate with the t-shirt that says, ‘Pay us what you owe us.’ Because in the big picture, nobody owes us anything. We’re going to keep working towards that,” Lieberman said. That might be a part Napheesa Collier and Kelsey Plum, among others, would disagree with.

The WNBPA committee has been clear that they aren’t asking for a staggering figure, just a share in the revenue that they help bring. In the Unrivaled founder’s words, “money that’s made through the WNBA, which obviously is through our entertainment.” Their initial goal is to get a percentage of the league, a part of the whole pie, before they consider the team’s revenue. But what the players would agree on with Lieberman is demanding a share similar to their NBA counterparts.

“I just saw my friend Angel [say] ‘Pay us what the NBA players make,'” the 1984 MVP said. Reese’s comment had already met with a matching one from NBA’s Draymond Green, who asked her to do a 360 windmill dunk first.

According to Lieberman, the WNBA cannot pick up fights with its male counterpart right now. They are in a building phase, while the NBA has already established a reach that warrants their salaries. “I’m not sure that I would wear that t-shirt. It’s just not the way to negotiate when the NBA is making eight billion a year and the W’s bringing in, check my math, maybe 500 million, right? Because they haven’t gotten into that new media money, the 2.2 billion,” noted the WNBA legend.

The new media rights deal will kick in for the 2026 season, expected to help the league make its way out of the money owed to the NBA. So while Liberman feels the ways of the ask are wrong, the reason behind it is right. Drawing up a comparison, she claims she was an “unpaid pioneer” of the WNBA while Caitlin Clark and others are “paid pioneers.” This cycle of owning up to your worth will benefit the future generation. She emphasized that the sacrifices made by today’s players will pave the way for future generations, predicting that in two decades the league’s stars could be earning salaries in the range of $10 million thanks to the groundwork being laid now.

However, Lieberman’s comments come at a time when the 2026 season itself is in danger. The league and the players have until October 31 to reach a deal. Looking at the current conditions, however, the deadline can come and go without a deal. Amidst these failing negotiations, voices apart from Lieberman have started to question the way players are protesting.

The protest of Caitlin Clark and others met with criticism

Another critical voice came from WNBA legend Candace Parker. On her Post Moves podcast with Aliyah Boston, Parker didn’t hold back. She described the All-Star protest as “awful,” arguing that players couldn’t wear those shirts and then deliver a flat performance. Boston, however, pushed back. She insisted the All-Star Game was the perfect stage to highlight player frustrations. And they had the rest of the league to show what they are worth.

Analyst Rachel DeMita also questioned the players’ approach. Her comments came after Satou Sabally criticized the league’s prioritization clause, noting she earned more in rival leagues. DeMita countered it with, “If you are going to be making the big bucks playing in the WNBA, the owners are not going to allow you to risk your body and risk injury and go play for a competitor’s league [Unrivaled] during the offseason.”

She added that no one is forcing players to stay if they make more elsewhere. These comments reveal a generational split. Legends and analysts challenge the method, while younger stars insist visibility is key. Both sides, however, share one goal: advancing the league’s future.