Breanna Stewart’s Overseas Signing Raises Eyebrows Amid Ongoing WNBA CBA Negotiations

Breanna Stewart’s decision to compete in Europe comes as questions linger about the start of the 2026 WNBA season amid ongoing CBA negotiations.

Sep 2, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) controls the ball against Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle (14) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart has an impeccable resume, from her time at UConn, to the WNBA, to international play, to co-founding Unrivaled. But despite all she has accomplished, Stewart isn't done chasing accolades.

This was further proven via an announcement from Turkish basketball club
Fenerbahçe Opet revealing that Stewart would be joining the squad ahead of the EuroLeague Final Six.

Per the release, Stewart, who played for Fenerbahçe in 2023 and helped lead the team to its first EuroLeague championship, will join in April for the stretch run. She will be added to a roster that features Liberty teammate Emma Meesseman and Seattle Storm star Gabby Williams.

Of course, there is obviously tons of precedent for WNBA players competing overseas, but the timing of the Stewart commitment has led to some speculation among fans about whether it should be taken as any signal regarding the state of WNBA CBA negotiations.

RELATED: Adam Silver Issues 11th Hour Warning Amid 'Unfortunate' WNBA CBA Stalemate

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently stated that the collective bargaining talks have reached the 11th hour when it comes to being able to reach a deal in time for the WNBA season to start as scheduled. Which is why this Stewart news being announced just a couple days later has raised some eyebrows.

EuroLeague Competition Will Conclude Prior to the Start of WNBA Season

Sep 19, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) shoot against the Phoenix Mercury during the first half of game three of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

With that said, there is no direct conflict between the EuroLeague Final Six and the WNBA season. Unrivaled concludes at the beginning of March, giving Stewart ample opportunity to rest prior to joining Fenerbahçe.

And per FIBA, the EuroLeague Women Final Six will be hosted at the Pabellon Principe Felipe in Zaragoza, Spain from April 15-19, 2026.

WNBA training camp is scheduled to begin April 19, with the season commencing on May 8—so assuming Stewart plays the maximum number of contests overseas, at worst her arrival for camp will be slightly delayed if the season starts on time.

considering the Final Six ends on April 19th, the same day WNBA training camp opens, this feels like either

A: a belief the season won't start on time
B: a middle finger to the prioritization clause and its penalties
C: both https://t.co/YE0vdxOxyP

— Seerat Sohi (@seeratsohi) February 16, 2026

The Liberty star, who is a Players' Association Vice President, has been optimistic about a deal being reached, recently stating that she was "excited" about movement toward an agreement following a recent proposal sent by the league.

So, despite the uncertain state of the 2026 WNBA season, perhaps too much shouldn't be read into Stewart's decision to compete in Europe—as she may just be looking to add to her impressive trophy case.