WNBA players would like more time off after the Olympics are over before league play resumes

WNBA didn't waste anytime returning to hardwood after Olympics and quick turnaround following Paris Games is something players may look to change in next collective bargaining agreement.

Teams started playing games four days after Paris Games ended, including Breanna Stewart and New York Liberty, who opened up in Los Angeles — a nine-hour time difference after her time in France.

“I think that even in a non-Olympic year, you think about All-Star, it’s like, everybody needs some time after All-Star break, or it’s not a break. So trying to kind of push that into CBA, I think would be really important," she told Associated Press. “Especially following Olympics, because we’ve never h an Olympics in a 40-game season, except this season.”

Players or league could opt out of current CBA at end of this season.

quick turnaround didn't seem to hurt New York, which h four players and its he coach competing in Paris Games. Liberty swept a pair of games from Los Angeles and Las Vegas to remain solidly atop standings and clinch a playoff spot.

Stewart understands league, which has all this momentum behind it, doesn't want to go longer without having games after taking break.

“From W’s perspective, I’m sure y’re like, well, we don’t want to be not showing games for an entire month or a month plus. But at same time, understanding players’ perspective I think is really important," she said. “It’s wild, from Paris to West Coast, so it’s just like, not an ideal situation.”

Liberty forward said “unfortunately” players are put in situations like se a lot.

"It’s like, onto next, onto next, onto next, where we kind of even really celebrate what we did, of winning a gold medal, as much as you would want to.”

Aces split ir first two games and A'ja Wilson would have loved a few more days to recover after helping U.S. win it's eighth consecutive gold medal. Las Vegas was one of lucky teams that didn't start play until Saturday.

“I definitely needed some time to decompress. Playing USAB (is) a whole or thought and mind process that you might not necessarily have to exert that much energy when you play with your respective team," Wilson said. “So definitely needed just a couple of days just to kind of decompress, wher that’s just get back into flow of things, or just get my feet underneath me, because that was a long time away with a lot of just back and forth.”

Wilson said she'd be in favor of players discussing getting more time off.

“I think if it is a chance for us to go to table and say, ‘Hey, we should get more rest time,’ even if it’s ... just a couple of days. It’s crazy to see players play fresh off of a plane in a sense. So yeah, I don’t mind asking for that.”

Phoenix, Chicago and Los Angeles all played three games in a four-day span to tipoff second half of ir seasons.

Fortunately from Olympics standpoint, next one is in Los Angeles, so travel will be less of an issue for USAB players.

New York remains in top spot in this week's AP WNBA power poll followed by Minnesota, Las Vegas and Connecticut. Indiana, Seattle and Phoenix were next with Atlanta and Chicago eighth and ninth. Dallas, Washington and Los Angeles rounded out poll.

Clark finally h some time to rest during break after going non-stop for nearly a year between college and her rookie season. She h a solid first two games back, helping Indiana Fever beat Phoenix and Seattle.

She broke previous WNBA rookie record for assists of 224 by Ticha Penicheiro in 1998 and now has 232 on season. No. 1 overall pick in 2024 draft has scored at least 20 points in five of her last six games. She is averaging 23.7 points on 47% shooting from field, and 11.7 assists over that span. Indiana has one game this week at Minnesota on Saturday as team looks to continue to solidify a playoff spot.

Washington Mystics tred forward Myisha Hines-Allen to Minnesota for a 2026 second round pick, forward Sika Koné and guard Olivia Époupa. Mystics n waived Époupa and guard DiDi Richards.

Clark earned AP Player of Week honors as she averaged 25.3 points, 5 rebounds and 9.5 assists to help Indiana go 2-0. Sabrina Ionescu of New York, Wilson and Napheesa Collier of Minnesota also received votes.

Connecticut at New York, Saturday. Liberty look to furr distance mselves from second-place Sun in standings. New York has swept first three meetings between two teams this year.