WNBA players have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement that introduces a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model to the league.

The decision was confirmed on Monday by Women’s National Basketball Players Association president Nneka Ogwumike.

A remarkable 90% of the membership participated in the ballot, resulting in a near-unanimous approval of the proposed terms.

The landmark deal must now be officially rubber-stamped by the competition’s governing body before taking full effect.

Revenue sharing and rising salary caps

A tentative term sheet was initially agreed upon between the players’ union and executives last Friday.

At the heart of the approved framework is an innovative revenue-sharing structure, which represents a historic first in major women’s professional sports.

Under this progressive system, the team salary cap will be set at $7m for the 2026 campaign.

This financial ceiling will fluctuate annually based on both overall and franchise-specific revenue growth.

Projections suggest the cap could surpass $10m by the conclusion of the seven-year contract.

Transformational changes to player welfare

Alongside structural financial overhauls, the new agreement establishes several major enhancements to daily working conditions.

League officials have publicly praised the collaborative nature of the swift negotiations.

“This is one of the most transformational labor agreements ever reached in major professional sports.”

Resolution of the collective bargaining process ensures the 2026 regular season will commence exactly as scheduled on 8 May.

The WNBA has confirmed a condensed 46-day offseason schedule featuring an expansion draft, free agency and a college draft before the new campaign begins on 8 May.

The previous collective bargaining agreement officially expired in October, leading to an intense period of marathon negotiations to secure a new deal for the sport.

More than 100 out-of-contract athletes, including former Most Valuable Player award winners A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, must now decide their futures in a severely compressed window.

Commissioner Cathy Englebert stated that despite the lengthy administrative delays, the previously announced opening date remains entirely unaffected.

Expansion franchises prepare for selection

Training camps are scheduled to open on 19 April, leaving teams scrambling to finalise their respective rosters in record time.

A major component of the upcoming frenzy is a two-team expansion draft designed to populate the incoming Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire franchises.

This crucial draft is slated for 6 April, although exact procedural rules have yet to be officially communicated to front office executives.

Existing organisations are expected to be permitted to protect five players, allowing the Canadian and Oregon-based newcomers to select exclusively from the remaining unprotected pool.

Historic free agency period looms

Navigating the expansion process will be heavily complicated by the sheer volume of available talent.

The vast majority of the league’s stars will enter unrestricted free agency this spring, potentially limiting the number of contracted players available for the new franchises to acquire.

Free agency is set to commence immediately following the expansion draft on 7 April.

This rapid succession of events, described by stakeholders as a transformational period, will fundamentally redefine the landscape of North America’s premier women’s basketball competition.

The New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors have secured some of the NBA’s most impactful transactions this season, led by the shrewd acquisitions of Jose Alvarado and De’Anthony Melton.

This evaluation comes as the 2025-26 regular season draws to a close, allowing teams to reflect on their roster decisions.

Hundreds of moves have been assessed based on their analytical impact rather than initial expectations.

Alvarado transforms New York

The Eastern Conference franchise acquired their energetic playmaker at the trade deadline.

He arrived in exchange for Dalen Terry, two second-round draft picks and cash considerations.

Since his arrival, the lightning-fast guard has exceeded all expectations across his first 19 appearances.

The Knicks boast a formidable plus-11.8 net rating when he is deployed on the floor.

Playoff selection headache

Head coach Mike Brown now faces a welcome selection dilemma as the postseason approaches.

The roster is already heavily stocked with guards ahead of Miles McBride’s imminent return from sports hernia surgery.

Alvarado may see his minutes fluctuate, but his vibrant energy ensures he will play a pivotal role in the playoffs.

Melton anchors Golden State revival

On the West Coast, the Warriors have found immense value in defensive specialist Melton.

The veteran signed a $3.1m contract following a complex midseason trade shuffle involving Dennis Schroder and Jimmy Butler III.

He has quietly become one of the most effective role players in the league since returning to action in December.

The Bay Area side hold a plus-6.0 net rating during his minutes, a mark bettered only by Butler.

Curry injury concerns

Golden State’s ultimate playoff aspirations now heavily rely on the fitness of Stephen Curry.

The two-time MVP has been sidelined with a lingering knee issue since late January.

If the legendary shooter returns in time for the playoffs, Melton will provide the ideal two-way backcourt partner.

Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs have also bolstered their frontcourt depth by successfully integrating veteran centre Luke Kornet into their rotation.

Alvaro Folgueiras hit a decisive three-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining as Iowa stunned defending national champions Florida to secure a 73-72 victory in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Tampa.

The dramatic triumph sends the top-seeded Gators out of March Madness, making them the first number one seed to be eliminated this year.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Ben McCollum, the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes have reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015.

Hawkeyes recover from blown lead

Iowa had initially squandered a 12-point advantage in the second half but displayed immense resilience to rally in the closing stages.

Florida appeared poised for victory when Xaivian Lee executed a driving layup to put his side 71-68 ahead with under two minutes on the clock.

However, Bennett Stirtz quickly responded with a crucial floater, slicing the deficit to a single point heading into the final minute.

A frantic sequence followed as Thomas Haugh missed from beyond the arc for the Gators, before Isaiah Brown secured a vital rebound after Stirtz failed to convert a running layup.

Brown subsequently extended Florida’s lead to 72-70 by converting his second free-throw attempt with just 8.9 seconds remaining.

Folgueiras delivers the decisive blow

Faced with full-court pressure, the resilient Hawkeyes seamlessly broke through the defensive press to find Folgueiras completely unmarked in the corner.

The forward made no mistake, sinking the three-pointer to instantly silence the predominantly orange and blue crowd inside the Benchmark International Arena.

Florida failed to even register a shot before the final buzzer sounded, with a desperate drive from Lee ending in a mishandled pass by Haugh.

Tempers flare in physical encounter

The tension of the high-stakes encounter was evident midway through the first half when a skirmish erupted over a loose ball.

Alex Condon and Folgueiras tangled on the floor, prompting Florida coach Todd Golden to sprint onto the court to restore order before both players received technical fouls.

Tavion Banks spearheaded the scoring for the victorious outfit with 20 points, while Folgueiras contributed 14 and Stirtz added 13 despite a challenging shooting night.

Condon led the scoring for the vanquished title holders with 21 points, but it was not enough to prevent a stunning early exit for the reigning champions.

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self will evaluate his long-term future based entirely on his health following a dramatic second-round NCAA tournament exit against St John’s in San Diego on Sunday.

The 63-year-old tactician stated he has not yet made a definitive choice about returning to the sideline next season.

His comments followed a heartbreaking 67-65 defeat to the Red Storm, courtesy of a buzzer-beating layup from Dylan Darling.

“I’ll get back and get with family and visit and see what’s going on,” Self explained.
“I love what I do, I need to be able to do it where I’m feeling good and healthy to do it fairly well.”

Recent medical scares

The two-time national champion has battled several serious medical episodes over recent seasons.

He missed the 2023 postseason after undergoing a heart catheterisation for chest tightness.

In July 2024, the seasoned manager required the insertion of two heart stents, followed by another precautionary hospital visit this past January.

Despite these setbacks, the veteran coach insisted he currently feels “as good as I’ve felt in a long time”.

Tournament struggles and future plans

The Jayhawks’ latest elimination marks the fourth consecutive year they have failed to advance past the NCAA tournament’s opening weekend.

The decorated programme had previously erased a 14-point deficit against St John’s before suffering last-second heartbreak.

“One of the things that makes the tournament so great is that it can be great, but it can also be cruel,” Self admitted.

Addressing his overall tenure, the experienced mentor acknowledged a shift in how he views his career longevity.

“When you get to be doing it as long as I’ve done it, I look at it in five-year increments. Now I’m probably looking at it in more two-year increments, so to speak,” he added.

He dismissed suggestions that the historic programme needs a complete identity overhaul, instead emphasising the importance of upcoming recruitment evaluations.

Madison Booker scored a career-high 40 points to lead the top-seeded Texas Longhorns to a commanding 100-58 victory over the Oregon Ducks in the second round of the women’s NCAA tournament on Sunday.

The three-time All-American delivered a dazzling display of shot-making, creating scoring opportunities from all over the court right from the opening tip-off.

She had already registered 19 points by the end of the first half, completely dismantling the defensive schemes deployed by the visiting team.

Third-quarter surge seals Sweet 16 spot

A spectacular three-point play early in the third quarter saw the versatile playmaker muscle through three defenders for a layup, sparking a devastating 19-4 run.

This explosive burst transformed a competitive contest into an absolute rout, with the hosts ultimately outscoring their opponents 28-8 during that decisive 10-minute spell.

Oregon initially kept pace through impressive first-quarter shooting, but they simply had no answer to the supreme ball-handling and physicality of the game’s standout performer.

Home dominance continues for top seeds

Katie Fiso managed a respectable 16 points to lead the scoring for the eighth seeds, whose campaign concludes with a 23-13 overall record.

In stark contrast, Sunday’s emphatic triumph extended an extraordinary home winning streak to 44 games for the formidable Texas programme.

Boasting an exceptional 33-3 season record, the Longhorns now advance to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year as they continue their pursuit of back-to-back Final Four appearances.

They will next travel to Fort Worth to face either fourth-seeded West Virginia or number five seeds Kentucky in the subsequent phase of the competition.

Amaya Battle scored a dramatic jump shot with 0.7 seconds remaining to give Minnesota a 65-63 victory over Ole Miss and secure their first women’s NCAA tournament Sweet 16 appearance in 21 years.

The senior point guard drove along the baseline before stepping back to sink the decisive basket in front of a raucous home crowd at Williams Arena.

A desperate final attempt from the visitors fell short, sparking wild celebrations among the 10,763 fans in attendance.

“I think any basketball player, when you shoot on your own, you’re like, ‘OK, three, two, one,’ throw it up there and see what happens. It was real life today.”

Amaya Battle

A fairytale finish for the Gophers

The 22-year-old finished an outstanding individual performance with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.

Her pivotal contribution was not limited to the offensive end of the court.

With just over four minutes remaining, she drew a crucial charging foul on Cotie McMahon, eliminating the opposition’s star player from the contest.

“That was our best defense, not having her on the court, very honestly. You can’t make this stuff up.”

Dawn Plitzuweit, Minnesota head coach

Overcoming formidable opposition

Prior to fouling out, McMahon had been dominating the game with 15 points on highly efficient shooting.

The SEC Newcomer of the Year is widely projected to be a first-round selection in next month’s WNBA draft.

However, the top-16 seeded hosts possessed multiple attacking threats of their own to counter the talented forward.

Mara Braun led the scoring for the victorious side, contributing 17 points to ensure her team stayed within striking distance.

“She hits those shots every day in practice over our scout guys. Everyone I think knew that it was in.”

Mara Braun

Heartbreak for the Rebels

The defeat brings a bitter end to the season for the Mississippi-based squad.

Their head coach could only marvel at the dramatic conclusion to the fiercely contested match.

“That’s out of a Disney movie.”

Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Ole Miss head coach

Dylan Darling scored a driving layup as time expired to give St. John’s a dramatic 67-65 victory over Kansas in San Diego on Sunday, sending the programme to its first NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 since 1999.

The tenacious point guard coolly secured the win after the Jayhawks had erased a 13-point deficit in the final eight minutes.

Darryn Peterson hit two crucial free throws to level the score at 65-65 with just 13.1 seconds remaining on the clock.

Utilising their remaining fouls, the opposition wound the clock down to 3.9 seconds to set the stage for the final play.

Pitino’s side survive late scare

Receiving the ball at the top of the key, the Idaho State transfer drove through the lane to bank in his only basket of the game.

The buzzer-beater sparked wild celebrations, with teammates tackling the match-winner in front of the travelling band.

Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins had earlier laid the foundation for the fifth-seeded Red Storm, scoring 18 points apiece.

Under the guidance of 73-year-old head coach Rick Pitino, the Big East champions have now won 21 of their last 22 fixtures.

Duke await in regional semi-finals

The historic victory sets up a monumental clash against overall top seed Duke in the East Region semi-finals in Washington.

This encounter also marked a rare meeting between two Hall of Fame managers, with Pitino overcoming 63-year-old Bill Self.

Despite 21 points from Peterson and a 15-point haul from Melvin Council Jr, the fourth-seeded side fell short of the next round.

Having ended Arizona’s unbeaten season in early February, the former national champions subsequently suffered a significant dip in form, losing six of their final 11 games.