The discourse around the WNBA lately has been about everything but basketball. Although the Las Vegas Aces recently won the 2025 championship, most of the headlines have been dominated by off-court drama.
From the public war of words between Cathy Engelbert and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier to the continued failed CBA negotiations that could very likely lead to a players’ strike and lockout, the “W” is in a rough place right now.
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One of the latest to chime in was Charles Barkley, as the NBA legend shared his two cents on the situation. Never known to hold back or be shy about expressing his opinion, Chuck explained his point of view.
“Yeah, they need to be very careful; they’re walking on thin ice right now. Number one: I wish those ladies luck, I want them to get paid as much as possible, wish them nothing but the best,” Barkley stressed.
The women should tread carefully
There is no doubt that the WNBA has seen a massive increase in revenue, attendance and popularity over the past two years — thanks in large part to the arrival of polarizing young stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. However, with added attention came more problems.
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While the amount of money the “W” has been generating is on the rise, the salaries of the players have remained relatively unchanged and underwhelming. The ongoing CBA negotiations were supposed to address this issue, but it appears that the owners and players can’t agree on the percentages and amounts.
Some of the biggest names in the game have been vocal in expressing that they will stand down and not play if their demands are not met. However, Barkley warns them that they must be cautious with their threats, regardless of how justified or misguided their goals may be.
“Listen, you gotta be careful…you can’t overplay your hand…I don’t wanna be one of those fools on TV…I don’t know their financial workings. I don’t know all that stuff is working,” Charles explained.
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It’s all about the $$$
Barkley has seen two lockouts firsthand during his years in the NBA and is well aware of how that dynamic works. In a league filled with some of the most recognizable names in the world, the players couldn’t get what they asked for from the billionaire owners, so how could the WNBA, which is just starting to gain some traction, ever compete then?
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“I had some of the greatest players ever, and we went on strike….As a league that had Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and hundreds of great players. I think we went on strike three times. This notion, just because you got power and talent, these billionares owners gonna give you everything you want. That’s not going to happen,” Chuck exclaimed.
At the end of the day, just like Barkley reiterated a couple of times, the ladies deserve to get a raise. How big it should be is for the experts to evaluate and decide. At the end of the day, the “W” is a business, just like any other league, and it needs to operate in the plus if it wants to continue going strong.
Hopefully, a deal will be reached so WNBA and hoops fans in general don’t miss out on all of the up-and-coming talent that is overwhelming the women’s basketball scene.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
