Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson backs WNBA players as labor talks continue

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson showed up to his pregame media session Monday wearing a familiar piece of headwear.

The well-used Cleveland WNBA hat in his rotation was an appropriate choice as the Cavs marked International Women’s Day before facing the Philadelphia 76ers.

Atkinson didn’t hesitate when the conversation turned to Cleveland eventually landing a WNBA franchise.

“It’s so cool that Cleveland is going to have a team,” he said.

That expansion club is still a few seasons away, but the WNBA has a more immediate issue on its plate. The league and the players’ association are currently negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement ahead of a March 10 deadline.

One of the central topics is revenue sharing. Players are pushing for a larger percentage as the league’s popularity continues to grow.

Atkinson made it clear which side he’s pulling for.

“Go get your money,” he said. “Go for it. That’s what it’s about.”

Under the current system, WNBA players receive less than 10 percent of league revenue. By comparison, NBA players receive a far larger share tied to basketball-related income.

Beyond the negotiations, Atkinson said the league itself has taken a major step forward in recent years.

He admitted he didn’t follow it closely several years ago. Now he watches regularly, both as a fan and as a coach searching for ideas.

“There’s an attention to detail, especially offensively with the sets they run,” Atkinson said. “You can find a good after-timeout play or something you haven’t seen. You can grab a lot of good stuff.”

For Atkinson, the hope is the talks result in an agreement that keeps the league’s growth moving in the right direction.

“I want the players to push for what they think is just and deserved,” he said.