WNBA proposes earlier start, cuts housing in latest CBA shakeup

Twin, where have you been…

Report: WNBA’s CBA offer proposes earlier start, cuts housing

The WNBA’s CBA battle is back in the headlines, with several reports saying the league’s latest proposal radically shifts current operating and scheduling practices.

• According to sources, the league office is open to raising base salaries, but wants to dial back previous guarantees like team housing, a standard since 2016.

• The WNBA is also suggesting an earlier season tip-off, with training camp beginning as early as mid-March — directly conflicting with growing offseason ventures like Unrivaled and Project B.

Tight turnarounds: Expanding the season on the front end comes with several challenges — namely the overlap with college basketball, which extends into April.

• The 2026 WNBA Draft is set for April 13th, one week after the NCAA championship — a competition likely to feature many top lottery picks.

Playing ball: However, the latest proposal does reportedly push maximum base salaries into the seven-figures while upping the minimum to more than $225,000.

• With multiple players eligible for max payouts, salary caps would expand from $1.5 million to $5 million, with roster minimums yet to be determined.

Bottom line: The league is entering this new negotiating phase with its interests in mind — but the threat of a lockout could push both sides closer to compromise.

Women’s sports stars headline Forbes 30 Under 30

Women’s sports stars stepped into the spotlight this week, as standouts like French Open champ Coco Gauff, WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, and USWNT star Trinity Rodman land on Forbes’s annual 30 Under 30 List.

• Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady, Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston, and Olympic rock climber Brooke Raboutou also made the cut for the US, with Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier named an All-Star Alumni.

• “Even though I love winning, it took me a while to realize that your life is still going to be your life regardless if you win or lose, and at that point you play freer,” Gauff told the publication.

Big picture: Designed to honor rising talents leading transformative change across business, culture, and entrepreneurship, the athletes featured are making waves on and off the field of play.

• 21-year-old Gauff is climbing the WTA’s career prize money rankings while also topping Sportico’s highest-paid women’s sports athletes list, with fellow 30 Under 30 23-year-old Boston investing in Boston’s NWSL team.

• 22-year-old Canady signed two consecutive million-dollar NIL deals with Texas Tech, 24-year-old Bueckers has a stake in offseason league Unrivaled, and 23-year-old Rodman teamed up with Adidas while also negotiating a new playing contract as a free agent.

Read up: Check out all 800 innovators honored in this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30.

Team USA reclaims 3×3 AmeriCup title

Team USA is back on top of the 3×3 court, winning their first FIBA AmeriCup title since 2023 with Sunday’s tight 21-19 victory over reigning champs Canada.

• 2021 Olympic gold medalist Allisha Gray took home both MVP and Team of the Tournament honors, averaging 5.0 points per game while notching 14 assists over the course of the competition.

• The win marked the USA’s third title in five AmeriCup iterations, while Brazil took third to keep their AmeriCup medal-winning streak alive.

Big picture: This year’s 3×3 squad was stacked with WNBA titans like Atlanta’s Gray and Naz Hillmon, Golden State’s Veronica Burton, and Washington’s Shakira Austin.

• Hillmon and Austin led the team in scoring with 5.8 points per game each, with Hillmon also leading the team in rebounds per game.

PWHL eyes aggressive 2026 expansion

The PWHL is looking to ramp up expansion, with EVP of business operations Amy Scheer saying this week that the third-year pro hockey league could welcome “two to four” new teams as soon as next year.

• “If I was a betting woman, I’d say it’d be four teams. And then I think we’ll hold at 12 for a bit,” she told CNBC Sport, noting 2025/26 additions Seattle and Vancouver’s instant success.

Big picture: The league’s historically packed Takeover Tours have served as testing grounds for new markets, with this season’s 11-city route expanding to feature seven new host venues.

• “What does the support of women’s sports look like there?” Scheer said, outlining the PHWL’s expansion evaluation criteria. “If there’s an NHL team, what does that look like? Or from the building, is there government support there? How does it impact travel? So there’s a lot of factors.”

US Soccer launches science-focused Kang Women’s Institute

US Soccer has officially launched the Kang Women’s Institute, a new research-based women’s soccer health and wellness platform backed by multi-team owner Michele Kang’s recent $55 million pledge.

• “For far too long, women and girls have trained under systems and standards built for men,” US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement. “This is the beginning of a much larger effort, and Michele has helped us take a huge leap forward in reshaping the future of the women’s game for generations to come.”

• “This is not just about closing a research gap; it’s about creating a future where every player has the knowledge, care, and opportunity to thrive,” stated Kang.

Getting started: The Institute outlined its early projects in Monday’s press release, with injury prevention and workload management, developmental best practices, and physical and mental wellbeing headlining the initiatives.

AUSL drafts softball star Maya Brady No. 1 overall

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League is stocking up, as the incoming Oklahoma City Spark took Talons utility player Maya Brady — niece of retired NFL legend Tom Brady — No. 1 overall in Monday’s two-team expansion draft.

• Starting off on injured reserve, the former UCLA standout went on to feature in six games for the inaugural championship-winning Talons, registering one double, one home run, and five RBI.

Big picture: Now at six teams, the league absorbed the previously independent Spark as part of the initial expansion plan, acquiring the Oklahoma City-based squad with the intention of finding permanent homes for all AUSL teams in the near future.

• 43 players were selected via this year’s expansion and allocation drafts, including Olympians, Team USA stars, and NCAA champs. (See full results)

Quote of the day

Tennis legend Serena Williams
tweeting in response to reports that she was planning a 2026 comeback this week.