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Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier has come under scrutiny for her role in a potential WNBA lockout. The Lynx forward co-founded Unrivaled, alongside New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, and is a WNBPA Vice-President, actively involved in CBA negotiations with the WNBA.
Critics have claimed a conflict of interest. They argue that if CBA talks failed, players would then turn to Unrivaled for income and better pay. However, she cleared the air on a possible rivalry between her organization and the WNBA during her postgame press conference on Thursday.
"There's no like rivalry. We support one another," Collier said. "I think both of us lift each other up. You know, we're not in competing seasons, we're in opposite seasons and the W success is Unrivaled success and vice versa."
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"We're trying to get players paid," Collier continued. "We're trying to grow players brands keep them relevant in the offseason. ... I don't know where that like rivalry narrative comes from because all we try to do is lift players up. We've never said we're in competition with the W."
Despite the narrative, the WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael-Jackson defended Collier and Stewart, a fellow Vice President of the WNBPA, on Friday. She emphasized that rather than a conflict, their dual involvement has offered valuable insight on revenue, broadcasting and structure.
Napheesa Collier led the Lynx back to winning on Thursday. They won against the LA Sparks 91-82, with Collier recording 17 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
Napheesa Collier responds to fan on social media regarding possible conflict of interest
Napheesa Collier gave a strong response to a fan on X on July 5. The fan claimed that with Collier as Vice President of the WNBPA and co-founder of the Unrivaled, the CBA negotiations with the WNBA would be in bad faith.
"So let me get this straight…." Napheesa Collier tweeted. "While everyone else was enjoying fireworks, you were thinking about how me and & Stewie of all people are conspiring to force a lockout that would result in less money year-round for WNBA players??"
Players are pushing for a bigger cut of the league's revenue, causing heightened tensions in the negotiations. The original 2019 agreement expires at the end of the 2025 season after they opted out in October 2024.
