Teary eyes and a lot of praise for Napheesa Collier, who fought till the end to win against the Phoenix Mercury. That’s exactly how one of the dominant guards on the Lynx concluded their 2025 season. But she isn’t done yet, as she’s already taken a major step for the offseason. But is this move a strategic career decision or a signal of players’ growing concern about the league’s future?

Well, controversy erupted as Kayla McBride, the shooting guard, reached an agreement with Fenerbahçe Opet Women’s Basketball Team. “Always a part of our family, we say ‘Welcome home, Kayla McBride!’ and wish her many more victories in the Fenerbahçe colors,” penned the team on their official website. And yes, it was a pretty expected move.

McBride has played with Fenerbahçe Opet since 2020 and has been a valuable member of their roster. She was a centerpiece of the team’s successful 2023 title defense and even took MVP honors after lighting it up at the showpiece in Mersin. All this she did by racking up 25 points in a 39–30 semifinal win against archrivals and then dropping 17 points with 7 rebounds and 7 assists during a 106–73 finals success against Villeneuve d’Ascq LM.

And that’s exactly why she was re-signed to the roster earlier in February this year. But in just a few months, McBride added even more to her experience, as she was part of the Lynx-one of the top teams throughout the season-who got eliminated in the semis. Not just that, McBride also played 39 games, averaging 14.2 points with 3.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds this season.

So yes, she will be offering scoring power from the backcourt with her clutch shooting ability and composure as a difference-maker. She previously spent four consecutive seasons with the Istanbul giants, stepping back into EuroLeague Women and chasing a fifth title with the team. But yes, she’s not doing it all alone. She’ll be playing alongside Teaira McCowan, Emma Meesseman, Gabby Williams, and Julie Allemand as part of the starting five, while Rebecca Allen, Monique Billings, Dominique Malonga, and Megan Gustafson will come off the bench. So, a win seems pretty much assured, right? But McBride’s offseason planning isn’t just about helping the team, though.

Is McBride paving the way for fellow players?

While it’s common for players to sign with overseas leagues to play during the offseason, this time it’s a bit different. That’s because the WNBPA opted out of the current CBA in October 2024, which means the agreement expires on the 31st of this month. With the approaching deadline, both players and league leadership are in intensive negotiations for a “transformational” new deal. But so far, the league and the union remain far apart on key issues.

This makes it a genuine possibility that a work stoppage or lockout could happen this offseason-for the first time ever in the WNBA. And there’s a reason behind that too. The players want a model in which their pay and benefits grow with the business. As WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike shared, “[It] includes revenue that would grow with the business. When you approach it from the perspective … yes, money is more, but ultimately if you look at the growth of the business, the money relative to the percentage of everything is virtually staying the same.”

But that’s not all. Players also want significantly higher pay across the board, not just for their stars, and improved working conditions. So far, the league’s been listening and has had discussions, but nothing concrete has come out of them. And with Napheesa Collier’s recent remarks about Cathy Engelbert-calling her the “worst leadership in the world”-the cracks have widened further.

Fans, media, owners, and players have all voiced frustration, so yes, the lockout threat is quite serious this time. With McBride signing for an international team, it seems players are already choosing a different path. And if you’re thinking about Unrivaled, she was on the roster last season. But for this season, she isn’t among the finalized players, so inking a deal with an international league is simply a smart move. What do you think?