Above all else, Dawn Staley wants the WNBA to survive.
That’s her priority as the league enters a critical point in its history — TV ratings are up, but attendance is down. Throughout 2018, players have been speaking out with increasing frequency about nightmare travel, low pay, controversial officiating and sexism, among other issues. And by Oct. 31, the WNBA’s players’ association has to decide if it will opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement in pursuit of a better deal.
In other words, a lot is happening, and Staley, one of the greatest point guards in league history, appreciates both the challenges and the opportunities this moment presents.