Courtney Williams did not sugarcoat her message, and her words cut straight into the heart of the WNBA’s ongoing CBA negotiations. Speaking openly about how players are treated, Courtney Williams described a system she says prioritizes executives long before athletes ever see the benefit.
“It’s so much that it’s just mind-boggling when you hear about how they’re treating us,” Courtney Williams said, framing the issue as more than just a pay gap. According to Williams, the structure itself limits growth for players even when the league expands.
“They want to pay themselves first, and then whatever is left, they want us to split with them, which leaves less than 15% for the players,” Courtney Williams explained. That figure has become a flashpoint in recent discussions, especially as league revenues continue to rise.
Williams also warned that growth does not translate to better conditions under the current proposal.
“When they grow year-by-year, we’re going to flatline,” she said, adding that players are expected to remain under the same percentage even as the league moves forward. “The league basically is saying they want us to stay at less than 15% each year. So if the league grows in 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, we’re going to stay at that less than 15%.”
Another point that struck many listeners was how expenses are defined. “They don’t consider the players as expenses, but they consider the coaches [as] expenses,” Courtney Williams said. She noted that the league still aims to pay coaches more than top stars like A’ja Wilson or Napheesa Collier.
Studbudz is a bust most of the time but dang this is a good way of putting how outrageous the W is moving. pic.twitter.com/mDjfHy97t2
— yu ˙ᵕ˙ (@72994fc) December 24, 2025
Teammate Hiedeman echoed the frustration, saying plainly, “They don’t care about us.”
For Courtney Williams, this moment isn’t just about negotiation language. It is about long-term respect, sustainability, and whether player value actually rises when the league does.
Courtney Williams and WNBPA Take Firm Stand as Strike Authorization Signals Breaking Point
As pressure builds, Courtney Williams now finds herself at the center of a much larger movement. The WNBA Players Association has formally authorized its leadership to call a strike if negotiations continue to stall, signaling that patience is running thin.
In a statement released by the union, the message was direct. “Through a decisive vote with historic participation, our membership has authorized the WNBPA’s Executive Committee to call a strike when necessary. The players’ decision is an unavoidable response to the state of negotiations with the WNBA and its teams.”
That vote gives added weight to the concerns raised by Courtney Williams in recent interviews. Her comments about revenue sharing, capped percentages, and internal priorities now align with official union action. For many players, the authorization vote reflects years of unresolved issues rather than a sudden escalation.
The potential strike does not guarantee immediate action, but it changes the leverage. Courtney Williams and her peers are signaling that they are willing to pause play to secure long-term fairness. The union’s language suggests that continued growth without player participation in that growth is no longer acceptable.
For fans and sponsors, the situation introduces uncertainty. For players, it represents resolve. Courtney Williams has repeatedly emphasized that progress cannot be symbolic. If the league grows while player compensation stays frozen, the gap only widens.
Whether a strike ultimately happens remains to be seen. What is clear is that Courtney Williams has become one of the clearest voices articulating why the current structure feels unsustainable. The authorization vote confirms that she is far from alone.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
