As the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) prepares for pivotal collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations, David Falk, best known for representing Michael Jordan, is calling for Caitlin Clark to use her influence and play an active role.
The WNBPA opted out of its current labor deal last October, setting a deadline of Oct. 31, 2025, for a new agreement. Without a new deal in place, the league faces the possibility of a work stoppage.
The agent, who has represented the six-time NBA champion since 1984, warns that the union risks losing essential leverage if it does not integrate the Indiana Fever star into its negotiating strategy.
“It’s important for the top players to be involved,” Falk said, as per Sportico. “Because that’s who the owners respect.”
Whilst Clark, now in her second season, is not part of the union’s formal CBA committee, her impact on league visibility and business growth has been undeniable, drawing comparisons to the influence Jordan had on the NBA in the 1990s.
“She’s going to make everyone else a lot more money” Falk continued. “Not at the same level, but in the same manner, Jordan made everyone a lot more money.”
He also recalled how Jordan, despite not being on the NBA’s labor committee during the 1998 lockout, attended two critical meetings and used his stature to help resolve the six-month standoff.
The agent now hopes Clark, alongside her agency Excel Sports Management, will find common ground with the WNBPA to strengthen its negotiating position. Excel declined to comment.
The WNBPA has publicly stated that it values input from its younger stars, including Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, and top draft pick Paige Bueckers, who the new CBA will benefit the most compared to the veterans.
Clark, Bueckers and other young WNBA stars
Clark‘s current rookie contract puts her among the lowest-paid players in the league, but her financial standing is elevated by endorsement deals with State Farm, Gatorade, and Nike; the latter of which she has a $28 million deal with.
However, her upcoming signature shoe has become a topic of discussion among players and fans alike, echoing the early commercial divides seen during Jordan’s career. The Chicago Bulls icon, of course, known for his Air Jordan venture that made him a billionaire.
And the former NBPA counsel, Hal Biagas, highlighted that influence extends beyond the bargaining table.
“The truth is Caitlin has an outsized voice because of her fame and popularity,” Biagas said, as per Sportico. “The question is, how does she use it, and how does the [union] want her to use it?”
Clark’s level of engagement in the current talks remains undetermined. However, with negotiations ramping up and the union holding an aggressive schedule of internal meetings, her potential involvement could prove decisive in shaping the next chapter of women’s professional basketball. Will she use her star power?
Read the full article here
