WNBA Stars Raise Awareness at All-Star Game

During a postgame press conference on Saturday night, Kelsey Plum of the Los Angeles Sparks discussed the impactful protest led by players, including Kate Clark, at the WNBA All-Star Game.

The All-Star squad, though Clark missed the game due to injury, donned t-shirts that boldly stated, “Pay us what you owe us.” This protest comes amid ongoing negotiations regarding a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) set to start in 2026.

While sitting alongside New York Liberty’s star Sabrina Ionescu, Plum shared her thoughts on wearing the protest shirt. Ionescu appeared to be taken aback by Plum’s comments. “It was a very powerful moment,” Plum mentioned, adding that she hadn’t expected this move but felt it was a significant surprise. “The T-shirt came up after a meeting we had this morning,” Plum explained.

Ionescu, trying to lighten the mood, remarked, “It really had to be mentioned.” She emphasized the importance of uniting as a team, noting that sometimes solidarity speaks volumes without needing words.

The protest coincided with a weekend where players voiced frustrations towards WNBA officials during contract discussions. WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert expressed her belief that an agreement could be reached well before the current CBA concludes.

Engelbert mentioned her optimism, hoping for a transformative outcome: “Obviously, there’s a lot of hard work ahead for both sides.” She concluded by reflecting on the potential success they could celebrate in the coming year.