Jazz saw it and seemed to relax. “That her?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
She stood, brushed the sand off her legs, and offered me a hand. “C’mon, lover girl. Let’s cool you off before you do anything else that lands you in hot water.”
We wadedinto the surf with the others, the water sharp and cold against skin that had baked all afternoon. People shouted and splashed. Reed squealed when Penny scooped her up and dipped her toes into the ocean. For a while, it almost felt like the world beyond the beach didn’t exist.
By the time we all dragged ourselves back to the sand, the sun was starting its slow descent into the horizon. Coolers were half-empty, towels damp, bodies tired in that good, heavy way.
Mya dropped onto the sand near me, tugging Reed into her lap while Penny packed up their things. She glanced over like she’d been waiting for the right moment.
“Lex Bennet. Just the person I wanted to talk to.”
I sat up straighter, brushing wet hair out of my eyes. Mya and I had played together for the Shamrocks for a full season and were now on the same 3x3 team, but sometimes I still couldn’t believe that the future hall-of-famer,Mya Brownactually knew my name.
“You’ve probably heard,” she said, casual but not really, “the union’s putting together their CBA negotiation team. They asked me for names. Do you think Eva would be interested?”
My eyebrows raised. “Eva? My Eva?”
“Uh huh,” she confirmed.
Before I could answer, Briana—stretching out her calves nearby—let out a skeptical hum.
“Eva’s a star,” she said. “People like her will always have a voice. Maybe what we need is someone more rank-and-file.” She flicked her gaze at me, quick but pointed.
“Not a chance.” I shut down quickly. “I can barely balance practice and eating three meals a day, let alone bargaining sessions.”
Mya tilted her head, like I’d proven her point. “Exactly. Most people are tied up overseas or here grinding every day. Eva’s sidelined right now, but she knows what matters—injuries, contracts, job security. She’d bring something real to the table.”
I rubbed at the back of my neck. “I don’t know. She’s just starting rehab. That’s going to take up most of her time.”
“That’s why she’s perfect,” Mya said, leaning in a little. “She doesn’t have to split focus between games and negotiations. And she knows exactly what’s at stake. Believe me, that perspective matters.”
I hesitated, knowing Eva wouldn’t exactly thank me for volunteering her. But Mya wasn’t wrong. “If she’s up for it, you should ask the union to bring her on. She can more than hold her own in a conference room.”
“Cool. Thanks, Bennet.” Mya gave me a quick nod before Reed wriggled free of her arms and waddled back toward Penny.
The breeze shifted, cool and salty, carrying the last rays of sun across the waves. My phone buzzed in my hand, Eva’s recent text glowing against the darkening screen.
Promise.
I closed my fist around my phone, like I could hold the word tight enough to make it true.
Women’s Professional Basketball League Prepares for Pivotal CBA Negotiations This Spring
As women’s basketball continues its rapid expansion and growing fanbase, players and league officials are gearing up for what promises to be a pivotal moment in the sport’s evolution: the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations scheduled for this spring.
The talks will focus on several critical issues long championed by players, including raising the salary cap, implementing profit-sharing mechanisms, improving travel and health protocols, and enhancing overall working conditions.
A notable development heading into these talks is the active involvement of high-profile players in the negotiation process. Among the player representatives preparing for the negotiations is Eva Montgomery, who has been appointed to the players’ negotiating committee. Montgomery’s dual reputation as a fierce competitor on the court and a passionate advocate off it has positioned her as a key voice for player interests.
“I’m honored to represent our community in these discussions,” Montgomery said in a recent statement. “Our aim is to ensure that the financial growth of the league directly benefits the players who make the game possible.”
One of the central topics will be the introduction of a profit-sharing model to allow players to receive a percentage of league revenues, a move aimed at creating more sustainable and equitable compensation. Additionally, players will push to raise the salary cap, enabling higher individual earnings and helping retain top talent amid increasing international competition.
League insiders confirm that while there is mutual interest in these proposals, the discussions will be complex, requiring a balance between ambitious player demands and the league’s financial framework.
