With CBA negotiations dragging on and tensions between the WNBPA and the WNBA steadily escalating, the players’ recent strike authorization vote sent a signal of unity and urgency. But amid fears of a potential work stoppage, the players’ union president, Nneka Ogwumike, has sent a clear message.

The players are not trying to shut the league down; they are trying to protect it.

Speaking in the aftermath of the vote and the public response from the WNBA, Ogwumike made it clear that while the union now has the authority to strike if necessary, the ultimate goal remains getting a deal done in time to preserve the 2026 WNBA season and ensure it reflects the league’s true value.

“We’re looking for a good deal to get done, but I think we’re also prepared for whatever it takes for that to happen, while also understanding that we want a 2026 season,” Ogwumike revealed in an interview with ESPN. “We want to make sure that that season is the way that it can be best for us to put the product on the court and for that product to be valued.”

Earlier this week, WNBPA members overwhelmingly voted to authorize the union’s executive committee to call a strike if negotiations reach a breaking point. 93% of players took part in the vote, with 98% voting in favor.

However, the strike authorization is not a formal announcement of a work stoppage, but a message, as the one Nneka Ogwumike and even Napheesa Collier sent, the players are willing to do “whatever it takes” to get a fair deal.

“This means we could possibly strike if we need to. But it doesn’t mean that we want that to happen,” Ogwumike further explained. “But we have it in our arsenal in order for us to get exactly what we need, which is a fair deal that represents our value in a very meaningful way.”

But compensation isn’t the only issue on the table. The union has also highlighted broader concerns around infrastructure and working conditions, including the possibility of eliminating team-provided housing and the lack of standardization across franchises.

However, with the current CBA extended for a second time and a new deadline set for January 9, the progress in these negotiations has been limited despite months of talks and rising public pressure.

The WNBPA seeks a 29-34% increase in the salaries of the players; the latest proposal by the league seems far from it.

Why are Nneka Ogwumike and the players still not satisfied?

The WNBA proposed a structure that includes uncapped revenue sharing that could push max salaries beyond $1.3 million and potentially near $2 million over the life of the deal, with average salaries climbing well above $500,000 and minimum salaries exceeding $250,000 in the first year.

But despite the massive salary increases on paper, the proposal would grant players less than 15% of net revenue, a figure that falls well short of the roughly 30% share the union has been pushing for.

As per Nneka Ogwumike, it does not adequately reflect the players’ value, especially given the league’s explosive growth in recent years.

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“(It’s) not adequate,” she said. “Especially with the level of creativity and innovation from our side to try and meet them closer to their side of the table, because that hasn’t been extended to us.”

But even through it all, Ogwumike is keeping a careful balance between resolve and optimism, as she stays hopeful that the union and the WNBA will reach an agreement before the three-week deadline.

“I’m hopeful,” she said. “I want to play, and I know that I’m going to get a good deal done on behalf of these players, along with the amazing leadership of this executive committee. So I’m looking forward to seeing how conversations can be more collaborative.”

But if they fail to find a common ground before the deadline approaches, the union will have to either agree to another extension or go on strike.

But in either case, the 2026 WNBA season would be delayed, as the WNBA expansion draft and the beginning of free agency, where more than 100 players will be required to decide their next move, will be pushed to a later date.

For now, the WNBA and the WNBPA continue to negotiate, but the time is running fast, and whether they can finalise a deal where both parties are happy or not remains to be seen.