INDIANAPOLIS — The WNBA did not maintain an All-Star Sport till its third 12 months of existence, and up till 2021 it was cancelled throughout Olympic years. When the occasion did happen, it was usually a forgettable one-day affair.
Occasions have modified.
Over the weekend, Indianapolis was taken over by the league and its legions of recent followers. The gamers, now world superstars, have been mobbed in all places they went. Downtown, the JW Marriott was lined in a large Caitlin Clark banner that lined 30 of the resort’s 34 tales and took 9 days to put in, per Scott Agness.
As soon as an afterthought, the league’s midseason showcase is now a real All-Star weekend with a serious cultural and financial footprint. Amid the historic labor battle between the gamers and the league, this 12 months’s version was notably necessary. Here is a view from the bottom in Indianapolis.
CBA talks take heart stage
Late Saturday night time, as commissioner Cathy Engelbert was making an attempt to current the All-Star Sport MVP award to Napheesa Collier, the followers inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse drowned her out with chants of “Pay them! Pay them!” The gamers, who had taken the ground for warm-ups with shirts that learn “Pay us what you owe us,” have been visibly moved by the help.
“I feel it is vital [to have the fans’ support], however it’s nothing that we ever doubted,” Womens Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation president Nneka Ogwumike mentioned after the sport in a hallway deep inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse. “You realize, we see the turnout right here at All-Star. I have been to 10 of those, and every one is larger and higher, and we couldn’t do it with out the followers. So, I am not stunned, however I am simply very grateful to know that they have been capable of additionally present that love for us right this moment.”
WNBA All-Star Sport 2025: Caitlin Clark, different stars put on ‘Pay us what you owe us’ shirts amid CBA negotiations
Jack Maloney
The gamers’ ongoing labor battle with the league was the primary matter of the weekend. From the primary time they have been obtainable to the media Friday morning earlier than observe, till minutes earlier than Ogwumike needed to rush out to catch a flight Saturday night time, the gamers fielded a relentless stream of questions in regards to the negotiations on a brand new collective bargaining settlement.
I will not get into the entire particulars right here, however the gist of the struggle is that this: the league is having fun with extra success and making extra money than ever, and the gamers need their justifiable share. Particularly, they need an even bigger share of the income and better salaries. The 2 sides met Thursday for the primary in-person sit down since December however made little progress.
WNBA CBA negotiations: The place issues stand after All-Star Weekend as potential work stoppage looms
Erica Ayala
In talking with the gamers and seeing their facial expressions and physique language up shut, their sense of frustration was palpable. New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart known as Thursday’s assembly a “wasted alternative.” On the identical time, it was clear the gamers have been a united entrance. Over 40 of them confirmed up, a file for union participation, and so they have been in lock step with their calls for.
As inspiring because it was to see the gamers’ solidarity, their steadfastness did put everybody on a lot larger alert for the opportunity of a lockout, which has by no means occurred earlier than in WNBA historical past. Whereas Engelbert mentioned she’s “assured” a deal will get performed by the Oct. 31 deadline — which might be pushed again — the final sense round Indy was that there won’t be a brand new CBA in place by then.
What that might imply for this offseason or the 2026 season stays to be seen. Notably, the Portland Hearth and Toronto Tempo are set to hitch as enlargement franchises subsequent season and almost each participant not on a rookie scale contract might be a free agent this winter.
Enlargement, enlargement, enlargement
Outdoors of the CBA negotiations, enlargement was the largest matter of dialog on the bottom in Indianapolis. Whereas the league not too long ago introduced three new enlargement franchises in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, the extra pressing questions encompass Portland and Toronto, which can take part 2026.
There was a whole lot of discuss in regards to the Portland scenario, and the final consensus matches the surface notion that it’s a mess. The group not too long ago fired Inky Son, its preliminary president and first worker, after simply months on the job. Former Nike govt Clare Hamill has since taken over on an interim foundation, however there’s nonetheless no normal supervisor in place lower than a 12 months out from their first recreation. Till somebody is employed for that position, the franchise can’t start a training search or begin scouting for the enlargement draft. By comparability, Toronto employed its normal supervisor, Monica Wright Rogers, again in February.
Even Portland’s current group branding announcement — they’re reclaiming the Hearth title, which was utilized by the town’s authentic WNBA group — introduced some criticism. The town does have a rabid fanbase, and the Hearth have surpassed 10,000 season ticket deposits. However as issues stand, there’s little purpose to trust that the group will have the ability to give them a aggressive group to root for.
The opposite urgent matter is the upcoming enlargement draft. Whereas final 12 months’s enlargement draft for the Golden State Valkyries was pretty easy, nobody is aware of how this offseason’s two-team version goes to work.
Which group will get the primary decide within the enlargement draft? How will that be decided? Will they alternate picks or will it’s a snake format? How will the league account for the truth that the overwhelming majority of gamers are going to be unrestricted free brokers? What number of gamers will the opposite 13 groups have the ability to defend? Will the Valkyries be exempt? When will the draft happen?
Engelbert didn’t present any solutions throughout her pre-All-Star press convention, partially as a result of the foundations for the enlargement draft are collectively bargained, and a brand new CBA is just not but in place.
“I’d simply say keep tuned in on that,” Engelbert mentioned. “We’re nonetheless taking a look at what the enlargement draft would appear like with a two group. If it adopted what we did with the Valks, you will in all probability work out what that appears like… Enlargement draft ought to happen earlier than [free agency], assuming we persist with the identical timing. We’ll know just a little extra after that enlargement draft who really then has the free company standing.”
StudBudz steal the present
In case you’re nonetheless unfamiliar with the StudBudz, you should be residing below a rock. Minnesota Lynx teammates Courtney Williams — who suited up for Staff Collier — and Natisha Hiedeman have been the breakout stars of All-Star Weekend after their unimaginable 72-hour livestream, which took everybody behind the scenes in Indianapolis.
Our Isabel Gonzalez has a rundown of their finest moments, so I will not get too in depth right here.
Who’re StudBudz? Explaining WNBA’s most entertaining duo and their finest moments from All-Star Weekend
Isabel Gonzalez
What I’ll say is that it their audacious thought to stream the whole weekend — they even stored the cameras rolling whereas they have been sleeping — turned out to be one of the best PR the league may have hoped for. Each occasion they attended immediately grew to become extra enjoyable once they walked via the door, and so they allowed everybody to get an genuine take a look at the gamers and their personalities.
Late Saturday night time, I inadvertently made my debut on the stream after I interviewed Williams after the All-Star Sport for my column on Napheesa Collier. My colleague, James Herbert, one way or the other captured the one second throughout the whole weekend the place Williams wasn’t smiling, however she was as gracious as at all times and a terrific quote.
StudBudz
It was superior to see the love that the StudBudz obtained all weekend, and this could solely be the start of their success.
A glimpse on the league’s future
Once you stroll via the doorways at Nicoson Corridor on the College of Indianapolis’ campus, you’re feeling such as you’ve stepped again in time. Except for a brand new ground, the gymnasium stays largely unchanged because it was inbuilt 1959, and the rows of wood benches that function the stands appear like one thing out of “Hoosiers.”
On the court docket this weekend, nevertheless, was the sport’s future. The NBA, WNBA and FIBA hosted the third Basketball With out Borders World ladies’s camp for prime high-school-age prospects from exterior the U.S. Forty gamers from greater than a dozen nations participated, and all have been hoping to catch the attention of one of many many faculty coaches and WNBA personnel in attendance. After final 12 months’s camp, 34 gamers obtained Division I provides.
NBA/Basketball With out Borders
The gamers received to study from present and former WNBA gamers, together with Tonya Edwards, Nika Muhl and Georgia Amoore. Following two days of drills, ability periods and scrimmages, the campers have been damaged up into groups for a mini event Saturday that the media was invited to observe. Regardless of an absence of chemistry and a few language boundaries, the expertise on show was apparent. As was the truth that the “too small” celebration has transcended borders.
Allison Feaster, the Boston Celtics’ vice chairman of group operations, served because the camp’s director and mentioned the “magnificence” of the occasion was the “elite of the elite from around the globe, with the entrance places of work from WNBA groups and the easiest in faculty basketball all coming collectively to establish the way forward for faculty basketball and the WNBA.”
Since Basketball With out Borders started in 2001, 142 former campers have gone on to play within the NBA or WNBA, together with Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, Ezi Magbegor and Dominique Malonga. Croatia’s Lea Vukic, who was not too long ago named to the All-Star 5 on the FIBA U18 Ladies’s EuroBasket Division B event, hopes so as to add her title to the listing in the future.
“Actually, this was one of the best camp I’ve ever been to,” Vukic mentioned. “Simply with the ability to compete with these superb women and understanding that we’re one of the best of one of the best in the entire world is actually humbling and simply an incredible expertise.
The All-Star Sport ought to quickly be again in Indy
This was solely the second time I have been to Indianapolis, and it did not take lengthy to see why it’s so usually picked to host main sporting occasions. The lodges, the conference heart, Gainbridge Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium (the place the NFL’s Colts play) are all in the identical space of downtown, nicely inside strolling distance from one another. As are eating places, bars and parks. For guests, the set-up is ideal.
Contemplating the town’s success with the Indy 500, Finals Fours and a Super Bowl, it is stunning the WNBA had by no means given them an opportunity with All-Star weekend, particularly when the Fever have been routinely among the finest groups within the league from 2005-2015. It could have taken the Fever 25 years to host their first All-Star Sport, however they should not have to attend lengthy for his or her second alternative.
The power within the metropolis all weekend was unimaginable. “we in indy however it really feel like miami LMFAOOO,” Chicago Sky star Angel Reese posted on social media. The town and the Fever group went all out — even the buildings have been lined in large banners recognizing the All-Stars — to create a memorable expertise, and the followers got here out in large numbers. Go to Indy estimated greater than 70,000 folks have been on the town. Caitlin Clark’s damage and a little bit of laborious rain Saturday afternoon, each of which have been out of anybody’s management, have been the one negatives I may consider.
“That was particular. That was actually, actually particular,” Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, mentioned. “You guys made it particular. I feel all people performed a giant half in making this weekend what it was purported to be. Shout out to the town of Indianapolis for placing on an incredible present for everyone and hopefully the gamers from the W, from the opposite groups, loved themselves.”
Thanks largely to Clark, who did not take part on the court docket however was nonetheless a serious attraction at occasions, Indy has grow to be the epicenter of the WNBA. The league could be silly to not deliver the All-Star Sport again there within the subsequent few years.
