Whereas a December Workforce USA ladies’s basketball camp isn’t probably the most thrilling a part of the basketball calendar, there was loads of piqued curiosity on this week’s gathering at Duke. For one, it was Caitlin Clark’s return to the court docket after she was injured in July of this 12 months, lacking two-thirds of the WNBA season and never returning to play after the All-Star Break. Plus, with the continued Collective Bargaining Settlement negotiations, anytime the media will get to talk with WNBA gamers is an efficient time to gauge how talks are going.
It’s not stunning that a lot of the questioning within the first days of the camp revolved round Clark — her restoration for the reason that WNBA season ended, updates on her well being, and her offseason plans. In reporting from ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, Clark informed the media this week that she is “100% wholesome” and simply working to get her conditioning again now. She was slightly nervous about camp, simply because she hadn’t had the prospect to take part in a full-contact apply shortly.
Clark’s 2025 WNBA season was riddled with accidents, beginning within the preseason with a quad pressure. A couple of weeks into the season, she sat out for just below three weeks with one other quad pressure, and simply days earlier than she was set to steer the All-Star Workforce in her Fever’s residence state of Indiana, she strained her groin. These lingering accidents, blended with one other setback she suffered throughout restoration in August, stored her out for the season, an unfortunate flip of occasions for the 2024 Rookie of the Yr.
Now again on the court docket, she is specializing in absorbing data and apply time at Workforce USA camp, doubtless serving to the workforce attempt to qualify for the 2026 World Cup at qualifier tournaments later within the winter. But, it was inevitable that she was going to get some questions concerning the state of CBA negotiations.
Per Philippou’s reporting, lots of the gamers at camp had been requested about CBA talks, potential work stoppages, and the like. WNBPA Vice President Kelsey Plum mentioned that it was “slightly bit disheartening, simply the frustration within the negotiation and the way distant we’re” in attending to a deal. Chicago Sky star Angel Reese had the same tone to her remarks, saying, “I feel the gamers and WNBPA have accomplished an important job ensuring we’re all collectively. We’re using collectively on every thing. I’m getting ready for a season like all people else is, however we now have to come back to a negotiation. It’s actually essential for us to come back to a typical floor that we will all agree on, it’s all honest, and all people advantages from it.”
Clark’s remarks about negotiations had been slightly completely different in tone. She didn’t say something dangerous or anti-union, after all, however centered extra on compromise between the 2 sides.
“It’s enterprise, and it’s a negotiation, and there must be compromise on either side. And we’re beginning to get all the way down to the wire of it.” Clark mentioned to reporters, including, “You wish to perceive either side and be respectful of either side, however on the finish of the day, come to a compromise.”
She additionally made a heavy emphasis on the “want” to play a season subsequent summer time. “That’s what our followers crave — the product on the ground, that’s what the followers wish to present up for,” including that it’s “essential that we discover a technique to play this subsequent season.”
Many different WNBA gamers have been vocal about the truth that they aren’t afraid to take these negotiations to a piece stoppage if wanted. With a brand new expiration date of Jan. 9, the edges have till then to both come to phrases on a brand new deal, lengthen the deadline once more, or resolve they’re accomplished negotiating and transfer into a piece stoppage. The perimeters can even cancel this present negotiation with 48 hours’ discover, and a piece stoppage can solely be enacted if they aren’t beneath an extension of the contract.
There are a ton of issues that the WNBA gamers have mentioned they received’t budge on, together with a strong revenue-sharing program that meets the wants of a rising league and a correct wage enhance. Different issues that matter quite a bit to gamers are ending the league’s prioritization guidelines, eliminating team-exclusive negotiation rights (aka the “core” designation), and increasing the quantity of assured contracts within the league.
Clark’s feedback aren’t incorrect — it might be an enormous disappointment for the momentum the league is seeing to not play subsequent season. Plus, with two growth groups coming in, the league is actively rising and even increasing internationally with the Toronto Tempo becoming a member of. Whereas at first look they undoubtedly really feel slightly bit completely different in tone from the general message of the gamers — not letting up on the issues they need, not being afraid to strike, and many others — it’s not like she totally mentioned she doesn’t care concerning the contract so long as she performs.
She can also be recognized for making an attempt to maintain the feedback she says 100% centered on basketball, which is honest. She is the middle of quite a lot of false narratives and bad-faith arguments amongst followers, regardless of by no means really beginning these arguments or getting concerned herself. The media loves to investigate her each transfer, her each phrase — I imply, we’re doing it proper now — and spin it. It’s sensible for her to maintain the main focus of no matter she says on the report on basketball, since every thing she says will get handled like gasoline on the hearth of no matter narrative the media and/or followers wish to spin. That in the end means she in all probability isn’t going to be outspoken about quite a lot of different issues happening on the planet.
Primarily based on different gamers’ feedback, it does seem to be the CBA negotiations presumably received’t be accomplished by the Jan. 9 deadline. After not enjoying a lot in 2025 due to her accidents, and now this impending CBA deadline persevering with to loom over the league, Clark followers could also be with out their star on the court docket for some time. Clark doesn’t play in offseason leagues like Unmatched or Athletes Limitless and even in Europe or abroad at the moment, and has been vocal that she doesn’t plan to affix any — together with Mission B. Whereas some upcoming Workforce USA motion could enable followers to get a glimpse of her on the court docket, which may be it for the foreseeable future.
