Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum Letter Exposes WNBPA Leadership Failure

Breanna Stewart and Kelsey Plum's letter to WNBA players' association leadership highlighted serious concerns about communication during critical CBA negotiations.

Aug 31, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (10) reacts against the Washington Mystics in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The WNBA’s CBA negotiations have officially become a full-fledged mess.

The latest example came in the form of a letter from Kelsey Plum and Breanna Stewart sent to players' union executive director Terri Jackson. In the letter, which was obtained by ESPN, Plum and Stewart raised concerns about how the players' association is handling the negotiations and cited a "lack of adequate player involvement in the process."

Breaking: Kelsey Plum & Breanna Stewart wrote a letter, acquired by ESPN, to WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson that expresses "serious concerns about how the PA is handling the current negotiations" for a new collective bargaining agreement.

More:https://t.co/RsmCObqeLA

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) March 4, 2026

This is significant not only because Stewart and Plum are two of the best players in the WNBA, but also due to the fact that Plum is first vice president of the union, while Stewart serves as a vice president. So if they aren't feeling looped in on communication, it's safe to assume the vast majority of the players are in the same boat—and the pair expressed as much in what they wrote.

"When we and other players have attempted to express concerns about negotiations, we have been made to feel as though we are acting against the interests of the PA. Many other players across the league feel these same frustrations and have expressed them to us, but feel afraid or unable to speak out."

And this development comes on the heels of a similar sentiment being shared by numerous top WNBA player agents who pleaded for "transparency and coordinated communication" in a letter of their own that was also addressed to Jackson.

Agents work for players, so the implication there is that they were speaking on behalf of those who may have felt hesitant to speak out. Not to mention, they also work on commission and negotiate brand deals for clients that could be impacted by a work stoppage, thus the need to know the specifics of the situation in order to best advise their clients.

Such a lack of communication from union leadership would be concerning at any point, as it is the job of the union to act in the best interest of all the players, but it is a blaring alarm given the looming March 10 deadline for a new deal to be reached without the WNBA schedule being affected.

A WNBA Strike Has Never Been a Sensible Option

Jul 19, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Team Collier forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) looks on before the 2025 WNBA All Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The WNBPA has used the strike card at nearly every turn in negotiations. But what should be a nuclear option has seemed to be a default threat.

And to be frank, the WNBA deal on the table that would increase average player salaries by 4.5x never seemed like a starting point to incite such drastic action.

Or as Plum put it when speaking from Unrivaled Monday, "Obviously a strike would be the worst thing for both sides, because we are in a revenue [sharing system], so no revenue, no revenue to share."

What that revenue share model looks like has been a sticking point in talks so far, but that doesn't take away from what appears to be a clear win waiting for the players when it comes to compensation and share in the growth of the league in whatever the final version of the CBA becomes.

Unprecedented WNBA Momentum at Risk

Feb 1, 2026; New York, New York, USA; WNBA star Caitlin Clark broadcasts on the court for NBC before a game between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark previously called these CBA negotiations "the biggest moment the WNBA has ever seen."

That is no overstatement given the unprecedented growth of the league over the last two years. And while the players should absolutely look to capitalize on said surge with the best deal they can get, squandering all the momentum that has been built is now at risk.

Amid the chorus of calls for better communication, WNBPA leadership has clearly failed to meet the moment. In a time where transparency and urgency are paramount, their efforts have more visibly resulted in awkward social media messages rather than actual action.

The WNBPA with a statement on this Valentine’s Day. pic.twitter.com/Fke2k4i4Sv

— E J 🏀 (@EJayArrow) February 14, 2026

The phrase "strike while the iron's hot" does not apply to the type of strike that would halt the WNBA's current surge. Yet, it seems precious time has been wasted by PA leadership in leaning into that premise rather than working with its members and expediting negotiations to get the best deal possible in time to preserve the 2026 season.

Considering the stakes for the future of the WNBA and its players, clarity in reaching an agreement should have always been the priority. Union leadership had no reason to need a letter spelling that out.