WNBPA exec addresses Breanna Stewart & Napheesa Collier's conflict of interest in negotiating CBA

Ahead of the 2025 season, WNBA stars Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and others in the players' association, the WNBPA, started negotiations with the league over a new collective bargaining agreement. However, as Stewart and Collier are co-founders of the Unrivaled League, their involvement attracted scrutiny regarding a conflict of interest.

However, in an interview with ESPN's Kevin Pelton and Michael Voepel on Friday, WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson dispelled such speculations. According to her, other players view the new basketball league as a platform that helped showcase the opportunities in women's sports.

"In its inaugural year, Unrivaled secured a broadcast deal, attracted new sponsors and lucrative partnerships, invested in player resources, paid salaries that averaged $220K for a 10-week season, and almost broke even," she said.

"Current players built Unrivaled, and while I am sure there are more than a few lessons learned, they showed us -- the union and the league -- a whole lot. What we've heard from our members is that Unrivaled sent a message, a strong message about the still untapped potential and resources in women's sports."

Stewart and Collier are members of the WNBPA's executive committee. However, despite their business interests, their colleagues believe they equally want the best for the league, as evidenced by Jackson's statements.

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Napheesa Collier revealed their plans for season two of Unrivaled League

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier - Source: Imagn

The inaugural season of the Unrivaled League ended on March 17. But Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart already have their eyes set on a second season. In an interview with ESPN's Kendra Andrews on Tuesday, Collier opened up on their plans for the next edition:

"We want this to be a league that will be here for generations," she said. "This is our inaugural season, so we can't do everything at once ... we do want to grow, but only to a certain extent."

She also noted that staying sustainable as a business while continuing to grow is at the top of their list.

Nonetheless, with the resumption of WNBA action close, Stewart and Collier hope to build on their momentum and start the new campaign on a positive footing.