Before the All-Star festivities kicked off, all eyes were on the league’s other showdown. The first in-person meeting between the WNBA and WNBPA since the players opted out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement earlier this year. Over 40 player reps showed up, including headliners like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert put on her best PR face, calling the talks “productive.” But if you have been following the aftermath, you know the talks were anything but that. Because at the end of the day, it seems like the league failed to understand the bottomline.

WNBPA vice president Breanna Stewart summed up the talks, saying, “It was a wasted opportunity.” Chicago Sky star Angel Reese termed the negotiations as “disrespectful.” Napheesa Collier even explained that they “would stand firm” in case the league doesn’t bend to their demands. So, maybe, it is clear to everyone now that Reese didn’t deserve the trolling for her ‘lockout’ statements. It is very much a possibility now and would send all the good work down the drain. So when WNBA president Cathy Engelbert was seen dancing on the StudBudz stream in a black tshirt, it brought up a few feelings for this Clark superfan. 

Barstool Sports founder and Caitlin Clark superfan, Dave Portnoy, wrote, “I’ve never downloaded Twitch or any streaming platform in my life.  That was until today.  Studbudz has done more marketing for the @WNBA with their 72-hour stream than the bozos running the league have done since its inception. They are hilarious and humanize everybody.” And yes, Portnoy’s right- pay isn’t the only thing the league’s fumbling. But it’s all connected. When you don’t pay players properly and don’t market them, you’re basically clipping their wings twice. How are they supposed to make any money off the court? Seems like they’ve got to do it all themselves. 

The WNBA has experienced a meteoric rise in the past year, with record-breaking attendance and a surge in national attention. But much of this growth is widely seen as happening in spite of the league’s efforts, not because of them. The league has failed to maximise its hype and market its best players in a way that they could have. Many new fans have started following the league only recently, and many are joining as time goes on, yet the league isn’t doing enough to steal this moment to shift away from the stereotypes. Fans follow the stars, but without real stories or background, these athletes often feel one-dimensional, missing the depth that builds a true connection. The result is a visible gap. Fans crave authenticity, but instead, they’re left with glitzy highlights and little sense of who these players really are or where they come from. There’s an undeniable lack of relatability, and the league isn’t doing enough to bridge that divide.

That’s where the Studbudz duo comes in, Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, have offered a refreshing shift in perspective. Their Twitch streams have pulled back the curtain, revealing the more genuine, relatable side of WNBA players and cutting through the off-court noise. By letting fans witness candid, behind-the-scenes interactions, Studbudz has helped humanize athletes and bring the conversation back to connection rather than conflict. 

StudBudz is completely transforming WNBA coverage. Their stream at the All-Star Weekend took things to another level. With every star and league official gathered in one place, the duo turned their 72-hour Twitch marathon into a nonstop stream of unforgettable content. Memorable moments came one after another, like crashing a Yahoo Sports stream with Sydney Colson and Theresa Plaisance, where no one was quite sure who was interviewing whom. The stream took off during the afterparty, delivering a mix of drama, jokes, flirting, and dancing that had the chat buzzing nonstop. It’s the kind of access and authenticity the league could have embraced much sooner, mirroring what other sports organizations have done to make their stars feel more accessible and real to the fan.

Cheryl Reeve Has A Hilarious Reaction To Her Dancing Video

The StudBudz stream delivered one headline-grabbing moment after another this weekend, but Cheryl Reeve’s unexpected dance at the WNBA afterparty stole the show. Watching the notoriously tough Minnesota Lynx and Team Collier coach bust out the Shmoney alongside Williams, Hiedeman, and Kayla McBride was a complete 180 from her usual image, a viral rebrand that had fans buzzing.

Reeve leaned into the fun, joking on the StudBudz live stream that “AI” must have generated the footage because she “was in bed,” instantly adding to her newfound relatability. For a coach known for her intensity, and sometimes for stirring controversy, this willingness to laugh at herself and let loose revealed a side few had seen before.“You can’t believe everything that’s on the internet. And AI, there was some s*** on me last night, that was AI. That was AI,” Cheryl Reeve joked to Williams during the StudBudz live stream.

While Reeve is known for her discipline and structure, it’s her deep bonds with players that truly set her apart. On the court, she’s a pillar of support and guidance, constantly rallying her team through challenges. Off the court, as moments like this show, the dynamic shifts – her players make sure no one misses out on the fun, gently nudging her out of her comfort zone and reminding everyone that even the strictest coaches can let loose when surrounded by the right people.

But it’s the StudBudz Twitch stream that made all of this possible. Their live, unfiltered access shattered long-standing barriers between coaches, players, and fans, creating infectious moments of authenticity that the league’s traditional coverage has often lacked. The hope now? That the WNBA takes note. If two players can reshape league perception with just a camera and real talk, imagine the impact if the league itself embraced this approach. With access like this, deeper fan connections and even faster growth are well within reach.