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How Negotiating a Historic WNBA CBA Prepared Nneka Ogwumike for the 2020 “Wubble”

Basketball players in court/ JWS
Basketball players in court/ JWS

Nneka Ogwuimke has always put in the work. Anyone who has followed the career of the six-time WNBA All Star, 2016 MVP and WNBA Champion knows that Nneka’s game is the epitome of hustle and technique. But in the past couple of years, it’s been her off-court work that has been the most impactful.

As President of the WNBA Players Association, Nneka helped the players sign a historic Collective Bargaining Agreement in early 2020. With a 53% increase in total cash compensation, upgrades to travel and living accommodations, and new maternity/family planning benefits, the deal has been touted as symbolizing “a radical shift” in how our country values women’s sports. For Nneka (aka “Madame President”) the experience of leading the league’s players to this historic agreement was invaluable practice for guiding them through the rest of what 2020 had in store.

As WNBPA President, Nneka’s top objective is player engagement.

“Up until the last CBA, the [player] participation was abysmal,” she laments to Kelley O’Hara on the JWS podcast, “That was something I knew as President that I wanted to change.”

Luckily her relentlessness on the court translated well as she and her executive committee hounded players to participate in Zoom calls and reply to emails throughout the year of negotiations. They wanted to hear from every player about their individual experience and needs. This “badgering” approach led to widespread buy-in and a sense of cohesion among the player group, which Nneka believes is even more important than the relationship between the league and players.

“One thing that can’t happen is disjointedness among the players,” she tells O’Hara, “When you link up, they don’t have an option.”

Playing the 2020 season against the backdrop of an ongoing pandemic and the George Floyd protests, the now-unified players gave Nneka two clear objectives in negotiating a bubble (“Wubble”) season with the league: they wanted to earn 100% of their salaries and they wanted to amplify their voices on social justice. The league agreed to meet them on both fronts.

The WNBA Wubble season was historic for many reasons. The league played a 22-game season and a full post-season over 14 weeks with zero positive Covid-19 cases. Fans witnessed a new league record of 83.1 average points per game, a new single game assist record (Courtney Vandersloot’s 18), a new playoff game assist record (Sue Bird’s 16), and a new all-time rebound record (Sylvia Fowles’ 3,360). In other words, players showed up, and their audience did as well, with television viewership up 68% from the year before.

But what Nneka is most proud of is how the players used their platform to advocate for social justice. Several initiatives, including messaging around #SayHerName and Black Lives Matter, were incorporated right from the start. Other decisions had to be made in real time as events unfolded outside the Wubble, such as wearing pre-game “Vote Warnock” shirts to support Reverend Raphael Warnock in his campaign against sitting Georgia Senator and WNBA team co-owner Kelly Loeffler, who publicly critiqued the league’s support of Black Lives Matter. (Note: Warnock and Loeffler will be heading to a run-off election in January.)

Most poignantly, the league had to decide whether they would join their fellow athletes in boycotting a night of games after Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by a police officer.  Fortunately, the league had a leader who had spent the last year and a half establishing a culture of listening to all voices and then acting in unity. After sorting through a sea of emotions about what they should do, the players opted not to play. They also postponed all games the following day, declaring it a “Day of Reflection.” The image from that afternoon of every single player gathered in the gym, standing shoulder to shoulder with arms linked, is an undeniable statement of their solidarity.

For Nneka, the WNBA’s long track record of progressive political activism is easy to explain.

“We’re 70% Black women. It’s just that simple really,” she tells O’Hara on the podcast. “We are, unfortunately, inherently political. We don’t choose to be, it just is. That authenticity drives our action.”

As impressive as the on and off-court accomplishments of the 2020 Wubble season were, it also took a significant toll. Like many of her colleagues, Nneka was emotionally and physically depleted by the end.

“I wasn’t holding up,” she admits to O’Hara, “And I think it’s important for people to know that, because in a world where we’re looking for a release and an escape, people need to understand what these women and men did to put a game on your television. It was hard.”

But they made it through, thanks in large part to the highly-engaged and cohesive culture Nneka began building way before the craziness of 2020 hit. Her innate knack for leadership isn’t displayed in having the biggest voice or by bullishly standing her ground. It’s evidenced in her commitment to listening to ALL voices (even those sitting on the opposite side of the table), recognizing common goals, being comfortable with nuance, and finding creative solutions that serve all stakeholders.

Nneka Ogwumike’s newest nickname may have started in jest, but in a year when our nation is selecting its leaders, we think “Madame President” has a really nice ring to it.

Indiana Fever Shoots for Redemption Against Seattle Storm

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark waits for an inbound pass during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Fever are looking to end a two-game losing streak. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The WNBA is back in action on Tuesday night, as the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm headline a series of games that could make or break the current trajectories of several 2025 title contenders.

Seeking an especially strong Tuesday performance is the Fever, as Indiana tries to snap a two-game losing streak against the increasingly confident Storm.

"There are going to be stretches that are really good and there's going to be stretches that aren't as good," Fever guard Caitlin Clark said on Sunday, addressing her recent shooting slump.

While the Indiana and Seattle clash will lead the Tuesday charge, the night will also see young squads sizing up WNBA juggernauts as bottom-table teams look for a leg up:

  • No. 8 Indiana Fever vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, 10 PM ET (NBA TV): The Fever need a win against a Storm side that can't seem to lose, as both teams eye the postseason.
  • No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 9 Washington Mystics, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The up-and-coming Mystics will attempt to hand the Lynx a second season loss, as Minnesota star Napheesa Collier remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness.
  • No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Dream are on a tear, surging up the standings as the struggling Wings attempt to take flight.
  • No. 10 LA Sparks vs. No. 11 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET (NBA TV): The Sparks have cooled after a hot start while the Sky has yet to rev up, with both teams aiming to end a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night.

Teams across the league are hoping to make the most of every minute while also managing injury concerns and absences as the WNBA All-Star break looms.

WNBA Rookie of the Year Odds Shift as 2025 Draft Picks Heat Up

Washington Mystics rookie Sonia Citron guards Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers during a 2025 WNBA game.
Washington rookie Sonia Citron and first-year Dallas star Paige Bueckers are both off to hot starts in their WNBA careers. (Stephen Goslings/NBAE via Getty Images)

The WNBA Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-year players stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race — and betting odds — heat up.

No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas Wings guard leading her class in both minutes played and points per game while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.

DraftKings currently has Bueckers as the clear WNBA Rookie of the Year race frontrunner at -1,000, though the dynamic DC duo of guard Sonia Citron (+1,500) and forward Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.

Iriafen won May's WNBA Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while her Washington Mystics teammate Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently posting a career-high double-double performance of 27 points and 11 rebounds in last Sunday's 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.

"Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she's excelling," Citron told JWS earlier this month. "And seeing that is just incredible."

"Soni just does all the little things," Iriafen added. "She doesn't shortcut anything, she's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all."

International Signings Ramp Up as Soccer Teams Break for Women’s Euro 2025

San Diego Wave forward María Sánchez dribbles the ball during a 2025 NWSL match.
San Diego forward María Sánchez is transferring to Liga MX side UANL Tigres. (John Matthew Harrison/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Though the NWSL hit the pause button this week, players worldwide are still on the move, as both European and US soccer teams use the midseason break to sharpen their lineups with international signings.

The NWSL has already seen one major departure, with the San Diego Wave announcing Monday that forward María Sánchez will return to her former Liga MX club UANL Tigres after nearly five years in the NWSL, with the Wave set to receive an undisclosed transfer fee in return.

"When the opportunity came to return to Tigres, I had to do a lot of inner searching, and I ultimately decided that returning to Liga MX Femenil and Tigres specifically was the best course of action for my career," the 29-year-old dual citizen and Mexico international player said in the Wave's release.

NWSL clubs are also setting their sights on European free agents, with the Washington Spirit bringing in Juventus forward Sofia Cantore last week — the first Italian signing in league history.

Also hopping aboard the player transaction carousel is new WSL side London City, with the top-flight debutantes inking OL Lyonnes midfielder and Dutch international Daniëlle van de Donk on Friday.

Meanwhile, van de Donk's wife and club teammate Ellie Carpenter is also potentially WSL-bound, with the defender reportedly nearing a deal that would see the Australian join Chelsea FC in return for the Blues sending Canadian international Ashley Lawrence to OL Lyonnes.

For their part, OL Lyonnes picked up defender Ingrid Engen from Barcelona as a free agent last week, adding the Norwegian international after snagging French forward and PSG's all-time leading scorer Marie-Antoinette Katoto earlier this month.

With the most recent NWSL CBA abolishing traditional trade windows, expect even more international signings and roster reshufflings before the league resumes play on August 1st.

San Diego Wave Honors Alex Morgan with Jersey Retirement

San Diego Wave players applaud Alex Morgan as she exits the pitch during her final NWSL game in 2024.
Morgan won the NWSL Shield with San Diego in 2023. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

San Diego is paying tribute to one of their own, with the Wave announcing plans to retire the No. 13 jersey of NWSL and USWNT legend Alex Morgan on September 7th.

Still topping the team's all-time scoring leaderboard with 23 goals in just over two seasons with San Diego, the retired club captain will be the first-ever Wave player to receive the prestigious honor.

Morgan also led San Diego to the 2023 NWSL Shield as well as postseason appearances in the 2022 expansion club's first two seasons.

"Alex's legacy goes far beyond goals and accolades. She helped lay the foundation for this club and elevated the standard for what women's soccer is today," said Wave FC governor Lauren Leichtman in the team's Tuesday announcement.

"She made this city her home, inspired our fans and community, and helped define who we are," Leichtman continued. "Her impact will be felt for generations, and it's only fitting that her number becomes a permanent part of Wave FC history." 

Morgan joined the Southern California squad's ownership group just last month, saying "San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career."

How to attend the San Diego jersey retirement of Alex Morgan

San Diego will officially retire Morgan's No. 13 jersey during their home match against the Houston Dash at 8 PM ET on September 7th.

Tickets to the game will go on sale to the general public online at 6 PM ET on Tuesday.

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