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Angel Reese gets candid on the WNBA CBA negotiations during All-Star weekend: 'It is disrespectful'

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese has only been in the WNBA for a year and a half, but that's not going to stop her from speaking her mind on some of the league's biggest issues. Reese spoke candidly about the players' labor negotiations with the league during All-Star weekend, calling them "disrespectful."

Reese, 23, discussed the importance of getting a good deal that benefits players today and in the future, per USA Today.

"Obviously, women's basketball is skyrocketing. And it's important for us to get what we want now, not just now, but for the future as well. It's really nice to have vets that may not be playing for 10 more years, but they are speaking for us because they know how important it is right now."

While Reese didn't get into specifics, she spoke about the players' disappointment with the CBA proposal put forward by the WNBA.

"It was an eye-opener for me ... hearing the language of things, not things that I was happy to hear. It was disrespectful ... the proposal that we were sent back."

She ended her comments explaining why she felt it was necessary to be involved in those talks. Reese said she knows she has a platform that gets attention, and felt it was important to use that platform in this instance.

"This is for the next generation. It's important to be able to be vocal. If i sit back, it looks like I don't care. I know my voice and I know my platform. You love it or you hate it, I know it gets views. So i just know that I had to be vocal. I have to sit at that table one day."

She's far from the only player who wasn't happy with the WNBA's proposal. Prior to Thursday's meeting, Phoenix Mercury forward Satuo Sabally called the league's latest CBA offer a "slap in the face." New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu said the players weren't just going to settle for "the minimum" in negotiations.

Following Thursday's meeting between the league and its players, the WNBPA issued a statement saying the league's proposal "falls so short." The union vowed, "We are committed to the fight."

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert took a different track, saying talks were "constructive." She added she left those conversations feeling "optimistic" about a deal.

The league and its players have been at odds since the players opted out of the current CBA following the 2024 WNBA season.

It was an historic year, as the league saw viewership jump by over 140 percent. Attendance was also up, as a youth explosion, led by Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, and others, turned WNBA games into must-see events. With the league set to begin a new, lucrative media-rights deal in 2026, the players know revenue is likely to continue rising and want to make sure they get a fair piece of that pie.

Both sides have until Oct. 31, 2025 before the CBA expires.

Based on Thursday's comments from Reese — and the WNBPA's statement — it could take some time before an agreement is reached.

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