The flame that was lit by Napheesa Collier has now spread across the league. And if you’ve missed the postgame pressers lately, let me catch you up real quick. From A’ja Wilson to Sophie Cunningham, the message has been the exact same. The players are tired! Tired of settling for less when they know exactly what they deserve. Tired of decisions being made by people who, in their words, “don’t know s–t about basketball.” Tired of accountability by the leadership. 

Cunningham carried that same energy into her season-ending exit interview on Thursday. But along with calling out officiating and leadership, she hinted at something brewing behind the scenes. “We have a big call this afternoon and I think that’s going to give all of us players a much-needed update,” she said. “I’ve kind of just been locked in on getting healthy… so I’ve kind of pushed that off to the side.”

Well, we have an update on that call. 

Former WNBA star Angel McCoughtry spilled a little tea on the Good Follow podcast, admitting she’d heard what went down. “I’m not going to disclose the information,” she said, “but from what I’ve heard and the discussions and negotiations, it’s disheartening… And just know that there could possibly be a lockout.” 

Exactly what Cunningham warned as well: “There’s a potential lockout because I promise you we are not going to play until they give us what we deserve.” At the same time, she admitted it’d be “the dumbest basketball decision ever.” True that. The WNBA just wrapped up a season of record-breaking attendance, sky-high TV ratings, and global buzz. The league is riding an unprecedented wave of momentum, and a lockout right now would be catastrophic not just for its image but also for the business.

That’s why the pressure isn’t only on Cathy Engelbert; it’s also on the league’s corporate backers to step in before negotiations spiral. But the disappointment players feel after these “big calls” and meetings is sadly nothing new. Back at All-Star weekend, the WNBA players’ union and league officials sat down face-to-face in Indianapolis with players from across generations in the room. But that meeting didn’t move the needle at all. “The WNBA’s response to our proposals fails to address the priorities we’ve voiced from the day we opted out,” the players’ union said in a statement.

Then came the league’s first official CBA proposal, and players didn’t hold back, calling it a straight-up “slap in the face,” like the league had ignored everything they’d been fighting for. Now, the clock is ticking as the current CBA expires on October 31 – less than a month away – and there’s still no real progress toward a deal.

So the big question is, if a lockout really happens…what’s it going to look like?

A lockout could change everything in the WNBA

As we head into THE month, Sophie Cunningham and her fellow players have made one thing crystal clear: they are riding with Collier, and the focus has fully shifted to the CBA. And honestly, it’s been pretty inspiring to see a woman-led labor force stand tall, challenge authority, and fight for themselves publicly without flinching. But we can’t ignore the reality here; a lockout is very possible. Don’t be shocked if it happens.

So, what does that even look like? Well, in a strike situation, league operations would technically keep rolling, but the players would refuse to step inside facilities, communicate with team staff, or take part in anything WNBA-related. The expansion draft might push forward, but without players, it would be little more than paperwork.

Flip the script to a full lockout, and things get even messier. That’s when the league itself shuts down facilities, halts operations, freezes free agency, and puts expansion drafts on hold. And if it drags on, say goodbye to the 2026 WNBA season. For players, there are fallback options like hooping overseas, playing in Athletes Unlimited, or diving into Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier’s Unrivaled. And let’s not forget, nearly every WNBA player has side income streams to keep themselves steady. 

So this fight isn’t about survival money; it’s about protecting the product they’ve built, the one they’ve poured blood, sweat, and years into. While a lockout is the last option, players are very well aware that it risks everything they’ve worked to elevate the league to this point. The ball is in the leadership’s court now. Cathy Engelbert and the league’s partners have to step up and take action – and they need to do it ASAP!