The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Good Follow - WNBPA Rejects WNBA CBA Offer, WNBPA Conspiracy Theories + League Island Confessionals & More

Episode Date: July 10, 2025

This Week on Good Follow: Ros & Logan discuss the WNBPA’s decision to reject the first CBA offer from the league, react to only online conspiracy theories surrounding the WNBPA, and play a game of League Island Confessionals where they confess if teams met expectations, exceeded expectations, or performed below expectations heading into the All-Star break. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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You're listening to Draft Kings Network. Welcome to Good Follow Portugal. Welcome to Good Follow y'all, presented by DraftKings. My name is Rosa and that is Logan. What's up, Logan? Tudo bem? I'm absolutely loving all of this. I'm with Portugal. Wait, I only know French. We just see gay. Um, you know? Yeah, yeah, I'm surprised because I know you are multilingual and that

Portuguese is not one of them. The show must go on. We must go. Good follow comes to you wherever you're watching from guys and we appreciate you tuning in. Um, and you know, I'm here for the al Logan, you're in Canada, tempo. Okay, I think rock where'd you get that swag send it to me. I think ri the team, they sent a wha

huge boxes and this was a roots, which is a very bi and it is the most confiiest hoodie I've ever worn. But yeah, shout out to Tempo. Oh, wow. You getting that influence, that Tempo influencer package. I love that for you. I love that for you.

Okay, well, we will see the rollouts of all these new teams coming up because the WNBA is expanding. And that brings me, it's a good segue into the menu for today's show. We got a whole bunch of stuff coming up for you. The WNBA, the CBA is being negotiated as we speak and an offer allegedly came out and it was rejected by the Players Association

calling get a slap in the face from some players out the some players mouths. And then there's been some conspiracy theories to come out of this. We will be diving in deep. And you heard of Love Island. Well, how about League Island? Yes, that's right. We are playing a game, keeping in mind the show that is taking America by storm and everyone's group chat. That's right. Love Island. But we made it for the WNBA. We'll have some WNBA think we'll have a lot of love island might be comi won't get your episodes e

you can get our episodes Tuesdays and Thursdays. A thank you so much for all y'all click all the button we love to see it. But Ro to get into the show. Let's do it. Let's do it. So I actually want to start by diving into the WNBA CBA and last week the WNBA players rejected the first CBA offer from the league. Now WNBA PA Vice President Brianna Stewart had this to say quote absolutely frustrated

they kind of just ignored everything we said and union rep Satu Sabli also chimed in take a look. I think we can focus on our players in the Union we got a proposal from the league which was honestly a slap in the face and I think we we really have to put an emphasis on the players that are in our league right now how cool would it also be to have like a little bit expansion on the rosters like let's focus on the teams that have everything set up right now and maybe focus on the teams also that find excuses continuously to lack investment into their players before we focus on adding more to the grain of people that can't really be sustained. So given that the players are negotiating for some incredibly

important things like larger salary shares of larger revenue, league revenue, sorry, and improved conditions, it makes you think how bad did this deal have to be to get a reaction like this from the players? Not only could they be feeling it internally, but for them to speak out on it as well. Yeah, the players are putting a lot of pressure through the media and the press conference on the WNBA. I mean, there's pressure on the W, especially as a woman's league, to not get crushed by the, you know, in the, in the media talking points. And, you know, the players are calling them out publicly and using public disposition, public attitude as maybe a stick of their own to try to hit at the WNBA. And I think, you know, I tend to feel for the players, like what Sathu Sabli said right there too, is like, hey, there's all these big announcements coming out about expansion, but there's issues at home

within these teams that need to be addressed. And I don't think that can be ignored. Absolutely not. And from an outside perspective, it's very hard to kind of see what they're dealing with because obviously we don't know every single thing that's outlined in the CBA. But one thing that came out, I believe it was earlier on in the week, it was how much players are earning for playing in the All-Star game. So the WNBA gives players $2,575 for playing in a game regardless of if they're starter or reserve. The MVP earns just over $5,000 and then the 3-point and skills winners earn pretty much a bonus of the same amount that they got for being an All-Star. Last year, Aflac teamed up with the Players Union to boost these numbers,

and this year it's pretty substantial. The three-point winner is going to win $60,000, and the winner of the skills competition is going to win $55,000. So the fact that even someone else has to step in or another brand to give these players what they deserve in All-Star, I don't remember the NBA numbers and I don't like comparing one to one, but it should a hundred percent be more than $2,575 for being an all star. Yeah. Yeah. And I think, again, that's another part of like the W getting crushed and the PR spin

of that. Like you've got these, these juicy flashy headlines coming out of teams being evaluated at half a billion dollars. You know, how is, how is being evaluated at half a billion dollars. You know, how is the team worth half a billion dollars and there's players making 70k? You know, like it's not a good look. And so I think like the league also has a lot of pressure on them too with taking on new teams coming in that were bought at price points of $250 million.

Like there's pressure to get this done the right way. I think, so there's pressure on the league to get this done the right way. I think there's also public opinion pressure. I think that favors the players. And ultimately everyone needs this to go well. Like I think it's a shared need to not see this go to lockout,

but especially the W, right? Because again, you just took on a lot of pressure with these new teams coming in at 250 million. You wanna sustain the momentum. You wanna not have to pause play. You've got a great rollout from the Valkyries. You don't wanna lose that by having the next season not come out as planned. You know, you've got teams

that are supposed to be being churned out season after season. Like, you don't want to over complicate things by suddenly maybe having to bunch up rollouts. Like, I think there's a lot of pressure on everyone to get this right, but certainly on the W. Absolutely. And the union is actually working with a Nobel Prize winning economist, I believe her name is Claudia Golden, during the negotiation. So they're trying to get everyone to help because it's also hard going into these negotiations. I mean, I'm sure there's lawyers, but doing this all in your own understanding and knowing, like, I couldn't imagine how hard that would be, especially trying to reason with someone like the deputy who it doesn't seem like they're coming to the table with exactly what is needed and or wanted but you mentioned the word lockout and not after not long after the news broke there was a huge conspiracy theory let's call it unrivaled gate so we came up and it says quote so let me get this straight Brannister is WNNBA PA president, Nafisa Collier is VP.

They co-founded Unrivaled, a league that benefits if there's a WNBA lockout, and they're the ones leading CBA negotiations. How do you negotiate in good faith? Make it make sense. Now, big sigh. Before we go any further, I do wanna point out that Fee and Stewie are both VPs.

This year, while the president is Neko Gwomek. But Phi actually clapped back saying while everyone else was enjoying fireworks, you were thinking about me and Stewie of all the people are conspiring to force a lockout that would result in less money year round for the WMBA players. Oh my god, this is just so insane. He said, he said, excuse me, can you please enjoy your hot dog and mac and cheese on the 4th of July and please leave me out of it? She said, leave me out of it. I love spicy cheese this season. I'm here for it. I love the Twitter fingers too, but is it fair for fans to even question the motives

of player leaders or is it just baseless internet drama? Oh my gosh. You know, she had to be upset to really get to hop back in the mentions and clap back like that. She said, Mila, hold on a second. All right, she must have been hot. Now, I think this whole thing is just, you know, commotion for no reason, baseless drama.

As it's built right now, not to say that things couldn't evolve, but Unrivaled is meant to complement the WNBA season. And I certainly think that the success of the WNBA is what feeds into the success of these kind of alternative, if you will, off season leagues and opportunities. And certainly the WNBA feeds into the narrative of Unrivaled, which is like, these are the best, you know,

handful of players in the world that come to play in Unrivaled, which is a different, you know, message than maybe Athletes Unlimited is doing. But as it is right now in Unrivaled, which is a different you know, message than maybe athletes unlimited is doing. But as it is right now, and rivaled, you know, not even built to do that, like to try and take over with a WNBA lockout. I think it is just messy thinking. And overall, the entire women's basketball ecosystem, I think is centered around like the sun, the orbit, which is the WNBA.

And like that needs to fuel everything else. And as far as Fia and Stewie, for me, it's very clear that they've always been player first in their motives over the course of years. And Stewie has been here for a minute, leading in so many ways off the court for women's rights, player rights, all sorts of things. So SSB, but I just, I think it's faceless these, that accusation. What about you? Yeah, we also have to remember that Unraveled is an off-season league, so it doesn't really rival the W in that sense. Sure, there's a bit more leverage just

as an overall league. It didn't even have to be a fierce Dewey who started it, but based on the success that we saw and what the players got, but they started this to help give players what they need to not have to travel overseas in the off season. So why would they want to just not even dismantle, but lower the standards of the leagues that they're playing? Like it, it genuinely does not make sense whatsoever. But it's funny to see how quickly people jumped to conclusions and the fact that it wasn't even correct. They said, I think Stewie is president and it takes one simple Google search. And I think it was actually on the picture that they might've attached that Neko was president. I don't know. It's all just so crazy. It's literally the only reason why this like

It's literally the only reason why this like false, inaccurate tweet is newsworthy is because B gave it a response. Otherwise it just would have been lost in the noise. I would love to see more of that though this season. I love when players clap back at people. Oh you're here for a clap back? Oh I'm here for the drama always. No. Coming up, Braz and I play a game that may involve some A, drama, but B, love island confessions. We'll be right back.

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because honestly, sadly enough, the finale is on Sunday. And I'm personally not ready for it, but I'm also ready to kind of get back to living my life as a normal person because every single night at 9 o'clock Eastern time, I am sat ready for what is it like to come on the screen. Catching up, I started late, so I'm literally like catching up, which I'm thankful for, I'm a binger.

So I'm happy to have all these episodes to watch. I don't wanna have to wait. I'm not a wait and watch type, that's not me. Oh, you're in for a ride. I honestly wish I could do that by t Amor. Oh buckle up buckle combining the two our fae and Love Island in a game

confessionals. So I'm goi our job is to confess wha met expectations, beat expectations, or performed below expectations. All right so starting with the Seattle Storm. They had some decent offseason moves including trading jewelry to the Aces, drafting Dominique Belonga, signing Neko to a contract extension, and re-signing Gabby Williams. Now at the time of recording they sit fourth in league with a record of 12 and 7, but have they met expectations, beat expectations, or performed below expectations?

So my analyst hat answer would be met expectations to be sitting at the All-Star break with room to improve and grow at the four seed. We expected Minnesota and New York to be there. So like really maybe the higher that they could have been would have been in the top, you know, in the three, so then the upper quadrant. I think that's meeting expectations. However, my Roz hat, I'm even gonna say that it's below expectations

only because I have such high expectations for the storm. I actually think the storm can be even better if they would just be even more consistent. You know, the thing with the storm is they're so, you know, up and down. They can beat the Liberty, you know, and have, you know, historic, you know, historic games and you've got individual and collective performances, whether it's NECA breaking a new record every single game or it's Skyler Diggins having an excellent season or it's Gabby Williams having a career year and now an all star season. I mean, the Storm have three all stars. They're one of like, I think two teams with three all stars. Like there's a lot of talent there.

We're not even talking like, you know, as he mag before, we're not even talking how great Erica Wheeler has been this season, just really a resurgence since being with the fever and getting more opportunity here, or how the rookie Dominique Malunga, you know, is starting to get have more information. She's raw, she needs work. But in her last game against the Liberty, she showed some growth, you know, in her limited minutes. So my thing with the storm is like sometimes they'll be that or they'll lose by 27 to the Valkyries. Like what? What? I feel like the past few years it hasn't made sense considering the talent on their team either. And don't forget

too, this is a team that's like down talent at the beginning of the season. They had so many ACLs and different injuries like the roster is short. They actually one of the questions also was their depth. They're not very deep. But I think overall, it's been an overall good start to the season. But like they got a lot of talent and that veteran group is very good. You know, so those are my thoughts with them. Yeah, at the beginning of the season, Skyler said this is one of the best teams she's been on, I believe, for something along those lines.

And honestly, at first, looking at their team on paper, I'm like, okay. And I feel like Seattle just has the reputation of being such a mid team that seems like they're going to do well, but don't really. And this year they're doing well. But again, I have written met expectations, still room to grow because I want to to see this grow i feel like they're starting to peak at the right time but once everyone kind of gets on the same same wavelength and they get it all together as a team they could be really dangerous like i can definitely see them up there with um minnesota and liberty so next up we have the atlanta dream and i'm actually interested to see to hear what you say on this one but they started their season hot. Brittany Griner and Brianna Jones have been great additions to Alicia

Gray and Rhyna Howard and Jordan Canada but Alicia Gray and Rhyna Howard are chalking the threes and I love how BG and Brianna Jones just kind of come in and help with the support but at the time of recording they sit 11 and 7 and 5th in the league. So have they met expectations, beat them, or performed below them? Prime Day is here. With great kitchen deals, greatness is a deal away. So if you love baking, you can get a deal on a new mixer. Transforming you into the Lord of the Loaves. Hear ye, hear ye!

Make way for the barren of brioche, the Sultan of Sourdough, the Lord of the Loaves, Prime Member Dave! Yeah, uh, hi? Shop great Prime Day deals now. So, I would say they're meeting expectations. Perhaps to like, maybe an untrained eye. You might think they're exceeding expectations. But for me, as someone who was in Miami at unrivaled all season,

like I saw a lot of the core of this team do great. And so I actually really expected and I said this at the beginning of the season, Alicia Gray and Ryan Howard to have big years and they are, you know, they're both you got two all stars in the team leading the way. Brianna Jones took the leap of faith, you know, is in a brand new scenery and having a great season herself and really complimenting them in the paint with all that she can do. And obviously having Brittany Greiner makes your team very strong. Plus they've got like a lot of little nice role players that fill in there. But for me, it's this this starts and stops.

And also not to mention like what Tihina Pell Pell has been able to do off the bench. And obviously, Jordan Canada has been slowed by an injury to start the season. But like I if she wasn't hurt by injury, I actually thought this would be a three headed guard monster that would be very dominant in in Jordan, Ryan and Alicia. Not to say that that can't be possible, but like the three of them had incredible seasons that unrivaled and I expected them to build on that. So for me, I would say met expectations, but I know there's a lot of people that would say exceeded.

I would honestly say about the same. I remember looking at the preseason projections and comparing it to the roster that they had at the time and thinking they should be doing a lot better than this. And as you've said that just what is it called a quad oh my gosh what's it called with the group before a quantaplet i'm not too sure brian howard ollie chagre brie jones and bg have really really gone all out this season and they're so they're such a well balanced team because when one of their players isn't playing as good, then there's still other players to step up

and I love just the consistency that they've been showing and I believe that they were projected to have just a little bit lower than a winning record or maybe even but yeah, for me, they are meeting expectations with room to grow, almost the same as Seattle. But this next one is the Indiana Fever. And you know what, before the season, they were being called the super team. And there was an episode with Lucy, you and I.

And I said, they're just not selling me on the super team. But to be fair, they've gone through a lot of injuries and a whole bunch of discombobulation let's call it along with waving to want to boner so things haven't really gone to plan with them but they have picked up a few good wins without Caitlin Clark but that said they're still nine and nine and seventh in the league at this time of recording so what do you think about them have they met be or performed below expectations i think you, you know, it's below. It's below expectations.

It's been a lot of drama surrounding this team this season, like whether it's, you know, fights on the court, whether it's unceremonious, the leaving of teams and rumors on why it's been injury marred. It's funny that the entire group of free agents that we thought was changing the trajectory and what was possible for this Indiana Fever team, it's actually that returning core group

that they're leaning on most heavily. It'd be funny to regrade the free agency at the halfway point for the Indiana Fever versus someone like the Valkyries, right? Like, remember free agency? It was largelyever versus someone like the Valkyries, right? Like member free agency. It was largely called a flop for the Valkyries because they didn't get a splashy big star, but like, look how much they've overachieved and like, you know,

done well with kind of the role players that they've had. And, you know, you look at the fever and it was full and she, and like they just have not, it hasn't worked out that way, especially those players they brought in. In fact, one depart and, and, and to want a Bonner leaving. I mean, that could be

something that really sets the team back. Like that was a huge part of the projection for them to be like a championship contender. So, you know, they've got a lot to figure out of the half out of the out of the all star break, but it's it's an it's below expectations for me. Yeah, I didn't expect them to go absolutely crazy and be like first, second in the league, but it's almost a little saddening to see how much they've fallen. But that said, if you ask, and I'm so excited to do this one day when I'm in Toronto,

a random person where you think they're in the standings, I'm sure they say first because of how many headlines they've been making. Yeah. And I think too, like with Caitlin having injuries, like that's been hard for the team too. And her season hasn't been elite. Like she'd had signature moments, but her efficiency is down. It's been turnover. So like even this like superstar talent in the league hasn't, you know, been able to

shine or we haven't been able to see her a lot because she hasn't been on the court. She's been injured. So it's just been tough all around. Yeah. been on the court, she's been injured. So it's just been tough all around. Yeah, and it's also been tough for the Las Vegas Aces who after winning the title in 2022 and 2023, they went to the semis in 2024. But they've officially come back to like normal people down to earth type of level. They're currently sitting in eighth place at 89 at the time of recording and they're definitely not where they expected themselves to be. I don't think anyone expected them to be here given the off-season pickups as well,

but have they met, beat, or performed below expectations? I think the team is below expectations. You know, the play of Aja Wilson actually has been, you know, what we expect. She's been able to continue to put the numbers up, but the rest of the team has been largely inconsistent and disappointing. I mean, even just hearing what's coming out of the postgame pressers from Becky Hammond and the players, it sounds like self-disappointment in the lack of competition. It seems like something's not clicking.

They're not competing at a high level. And certainly you've got Olympian level players who are just not consistent from game to game. And I think with the Aces and this has been something we've talked about before that it's been a deterioration over the course of seasons for them that now culminates in this. But coming off of the unrivaled season in Miami, boy, I thought Chelsea Gray was about to bust everybody in the W. Mind you, there's still time. And Jewel Lloyd, the trade hasn't looked comfortable yet for her and the team. So we shall see. I think they just need to fully clear house and start over, to be honest, at this point, because nobody that you bring in can replicate. And I think I've said this so many times, times can replicate the winning teams that you had and that's something that they keep on trying to chase but they have got to change their vision somehow because it's never going to happen unless

you bring back all of the players that you got rid of and we all know that's not happening and coaches and oh my gosh yes especially that and I'm interested to see. Well, I guess we'll never know how much of a contribution it had, but not only the cost is killing it with the Valkyries over there. Tyler Marsh. They are overachieving Valkyries are overachieving. Yes, exceeded expectations for the bounce. Oh, absolutely. Especially as an expansion team. We all that's all the teams that we have today and it today and it to see what they do for t Maybe we could play like island type of version ki playoffs. But yeah, let's So all of the teams that

went below expectations. and vulnerable on League week. No, but this was fun. Thank you all for tuning in. We bring the show to you worldwide wherever we are. But by next week, I'll be back in the States. But thanks for rocking out with Good Follow presented by DraftKings where every Tuesday and Thursday, subscribe, follow the socials, and we'll see you next week. Bye, y'all.