Breanna Stewart drops pessimistic WNBA CBA update ahead of Friday’s deadline

With only one day to go before the WNBA’s CBA negotiation extended deadline, the players are revealing that they are not feeling good about the status of the talks with the league’s leadership. WNBPA vice president Breanna Stewart gave an update after Unrivaled practice on Thursday that will leave people feeling disappointed and anxious about what the next steps will be for the W.

“We are not coming to an agreement by tomorrow, I can tell you that. We’re just going to continue to negotiate in good faith,” Stewart said. “While we are both seemingly far apart, there is a place where we can come and find a mutual ground.”

On the Jan. 9 CBA deadline, Breanna Stewart tells media members “we are not coming to an agreement, I can tell you that.”

Stewart adds she has been told a new extension will not be agreed upon by tomorrow’s deadline and both sides will continue negotiating in good faith.

— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) January 8, 2026

With no deal in sight and the choice to once again extend the deadline off the table, the league will enter a “status quo” period, which means the existing CBA will be what the WNBA will operate under while both sides continue to negotiate. However, this leaves the state of operations in limbo, as a work stoppage can be called into effect at any time.

In this scenario, the current CBA would expire but both sides would enter a “status quo” period in which the conditions of the current CBA would be maintained and the league and union could continue negotiating.

It would open the door for a work stoppage, though. https://t.co/suL6nwbJwY

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) January 8, 2026

The WNBPA and players voted to authorize a strike in mid-December if they felt one became necessary. According to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, 93% of players participated in the vote, and 98% voted in favor. Other Unrivaled players, including Paige Bueckers and Chelsea Gray, also offered their thoughts, doubling down on the principles the players have held since opting out of the last CBA.

“There are some things we just won’t budge on, and we think that we should stand firm in, and then there are things we think we can meet halfway on,” Bueckers said.

“That’s what negotiating is,” Gray added. “There are compromises on both ends. There are some things that we’re not willing to compromise on, so there’s a standard that we won’t go below. And so that means that we’re having to wait a little longer to not go below our standard, then that’s what it is.”

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