WNBA star slams league over All-Star format: 'Is it real life?'

It's right back to work for the WNBA All-Stars on Tuesday night, just three days after the 2025 All-Star Game went the way of Team Collier over Team Clark. 

All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis was a chance to celebrate women's basketball. The players proved they are keenly aware of their worth amid intensifying collective bargaining negotiations, while the "Studbudz" -- Minnesota Lynx guards Natisha Hiedeman and Courtney Williams -- live-streamed the entire weekend on Twitch, taking fans behind the scenes in a way rarely seen before

Of course, the basketball provided plenty of thrills, too. The introduction of the 4-point shot produced an All-Star Game with 282 combined points, while New York Liberty players won the Skills Challenge and the 3-Point Contest in exciting fashion.

MORE: WNBA star has plan for $52,575 in cash from All-Star weekend

While Sabrina Ionescu took home the title of 3-point champion for the second time, Natasha Cloud won the Skills Challenge by 1.1 seconds over Erica Wheeler of the Seattle Storm. But amid the league's longest season yet, Cloud is taking aim at the WNBA for not giving the players enough rest.

Seeing as Cloud, Ionescu and the Liberty play the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night, only three days after the All-Star Game, Cloud has opted to capitalize on her Skills Challenge win by calling on the WNBA to fix its schedule as player injuries rise. Caitlin Clark, Rhyne Howard and Satou Sabally were among the All-Stars who sat out the weekend due to injury, and this season will be the longest in league history at 44 games as demand for WNBA basketball grows exponentially across all markets.

As revenues rise amid a new media rights deal that begins in 2026, player rest and recovery is one of the key talking points under discussion as the league and the players' union continue negotiating for a new collective bargaining agreement. 

MORE WNBA NEWS:

• Caitlin Clark will get outside opinions on groin injury this week
• Lynx’s Napheesa Collier sets WNBA All-Star scoring record, earns MVP
• ‘Pay Us’ shirts spark fiery message from WNBA All-Stars to league executives
• WNBA rookie makes emotional A'ja Wilson statement on All-Star Weekend
• ‘Power struggle’ between Fever’s Caitlin Clark, Sky’s Angel Reese said to be ruining the WNBA