Copyright Sports Illustrated
On November 5, news broke that 10-time WNBA All-Star, 2016 WNBA MVP, 2016 WNBA champion, and current Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike has become the first known player to sign with Project B, which is a new women's basketball league based in Saudi Arabia that's set to launch in the fall of 2026. This announcement sent shockwaves throughout the rest of the league. And Ogwumike (who is also the President of the WNBA Players' Association (WNBPA) commemorated this signing to Project B with an Instagram post that was captioned, "A new chapter built on purpose, partnership, and possibility. Proud to join @projectb_global not just as a player, but as a partner and owner, to help shape the future of global sport. There has been chatter in recent weeks about Project B (which is a 5-on-5 league that will feature six, 11-player teams and will take place during the WNBA offseason) potentially already having signed multiple active WNBA superstars. And Ogwumike's signing is proof of that. Of course, the timing of Project B's arrival on scene is fascinating, given the ongoing negotiations between the WNBA players and the league office about a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which is expected to pay players much greater salaries than they can get right now. Insider Report Reveals Staggering Project B Salaries The only way that Project B could ultimately compete with the WNBA (which seems to be their eventual aim) is if they can exceed their salaries. And a November 6 report from Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports revealed that the Saudi Arabian league certainly isn't penny pinching when trying to attract the world's best women's basketball players. "Multiple stars are being offered seven-figure salaries starting at $2 million annually, with their earnings for multiyear deals reaching eight figures. In addition, players will receive equity in the league, similar to Unrivaled," Costabile wrote in the article. Not only do these multi-million dollar salaries put added pressure on the WNBA amid the CBA negotiations, but the fact that Ogwumike — who is the face of the WNBA players in terms of negotiating the new CBA — is the first person to go public with joining Project B adds another degree of pressure on WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the rest of the league office. As it stands, Project B is not a direct threat to the WNBA. But that doesn't mean this could change very quickly in the future, depending on which players decide to play there and whether the WNBA gives the players the salaries they deserve. Recommended Reading:
