NBA star Myles Turner champions WNBA players' fight for fair treatment and improved conditions in their crucial CBA negotiations.
The ongoing negotiations between the WNBA and the players’ union continue to dominate conversations around the league, and Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner believes the players have every reason to stand firm.
Turner recently weighed in on the situation during a conversation with Front Office Sports while promoting Game Recognize Game with Stewie & Myles, the podcast he co-hosts with New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart.
While careful not to reveal details from private discussions, Turner made it clear that players across the league are determined to secure meaningful progress in the next collective bargaining agreement.
“There’s been some stalling out by both sides,” Turner said. “But I think the players want to play at the end of the day. That’s the biggest thing. They just want to get what they deserve. And I don’t think they’re going to stand for anything less.”
The comments come at a tense moment in negotiations. Both the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association have exchanged proposals in recent weeks, but major issues remain unresolved as the two sides continue discussions.
Revenue sharing remains the most significant sticking point. The league has proposed distributing more than 70 percent of net league and team revenue to players, while the union has pushed for a share of gross revenue that would significantly increase overall player earnings.
Beyond compensation, players are also pushing for improvements to everyday working conditions across the league. Among the proposals being discussed are guaranteed housing standards, improved practice facilities, team-provided chefs and massage therapists on road trips, and broader investments in player resources.
According to Stewart, who has been deeply involved in the negotiations, recent conversations suggest the process may finally be gaining momentum.
“We just got a new proposal,” Stewart said on the podcast. “We’re in a new place.”
Still, she acknowledged that the process has been demanding for players tasked with balancing negotiations with their on-court responsibilities.
Turner pointed out that the public rarely sees the work happening behind the scenes.
“You’re on four-hour calls the day you have games,” Turner said. “If the shoe was on the other foot, I think it’d be a lot tougher.”
For Turner, one of the biggest challenges is that many NBA players only see the situation through headlines rather than understanding the full scope of the negotiations.
“I don’t think the guys on the NBA side truly see what’s really going on,” he said. “We only hear headlines.”
The conversation about the CBA has also become a central topic on the duo’s new podcast, which brings together perspectives from both leagues. Stewart and Turner launched the show earlier this year with the goal of creating a space where NBA and WNBA players can discuss basketball, culture and the realities of life as professional athletes.
Turner initially hesitated to join the crowded athlete-podcast space but said the opportunity to collaborate with Stewart made the project unique.
“I didn’t really want to do it at first,” Turner admitted. “But doing it with Breanna made it one-of-a-kind.”
As negotiations continue, Turner believes the players’ resolve will ultimately shape the outcome.
“They want to play,” he said. “But they also know their value now.”