The WNBA began the second half of its 2025 season on Tuesday. And while the league undoubtedly hoped the attention would be on the competition between the teams in its marquee games, the antics of the league’s players from the weekend during its all-star game were what many people were focused on.

Before Saturday’s exhibition game between the league’s elite, the WNBA All-Star players wore shirts during warmups that read, “Pay us what you owe us.” It was a not-so-subtle reference to the simmering tensions surrounding the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement negotiations, which will determine the pay structures and salaries for the players. The current deal expires at the end of October. And while it’s perfectly understandable for the players to want to get paid as much as possible, their desire for higher pay doesn’t seem to align with fundamental economics.