How International Players Are Quietly Reshaping Basketball

Zena and Sabreena open their conversation with the latest updates on the CBA negotiations, discussing what comes next as talks hit their deadline with no agreement. From there, they shift to a recap of the association, covering Texas’ first loss of the season, Ohio State’s rise as a contender, Notre Dame’s unusual campaign, and the need for UNC and Duke to find consistency. Next, the duo explore the evolving landscape of women’s college basketball, focusing on the growing impact of international players in the NIL era and implications for the WNBA. They discuss how the influx of international talent brings excitement and challenges for college programs, introduces diverse playing styles, and highlights different pathways to the professional level—where international players often have more flexibility than American players facing strict draft eligibility rules. They also examine the need for clearer NCAA regulations around international participation. Finally, we wrap things up with one of our recruiting games: “Something in Common”. No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/ 00:00 Intro 00:48 WNBA CBA negotiations continue without an agreement 02:58 The next steps once a deal is finalized 05:07 What is the players’ position on the salary structure? 05:43 What the league is proposing as a salary structure 08:02 Texas suffers first loss of the season, falling to LSU 70-65 11:24 Is Mikaylah Williams the best player on LSU? 13:47 Ohio State defeats Maryland 89-76 18:00 Ohio State remains among the teams to beat 20:07 UCLA’s defense remains excellent 21:31 Notre Dame has had a peculiar season 25:45 How international players have been a part of the WCBB landscape 30:32 The NCAA’s rules for international play remain complex 34:55 The positives of international play in college basketball 41:40 Do WNBA rules restrict the professional opportunities of American-born players? 43:30 A look at the impact of Nastja Claessens at Kansas State 45:31 What Blanca Quinonez brings to UConn Related links and articles: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6959018/2026/01/09/wnba-labor-union-deadline-expire/ by Sabreena Merchant https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6964515/2026/01/12/wnba-union-free-agency-moratorium-cba/ by Sabreena Merchant https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6962069/2026/01/11/lsu-texas-first-loss-of-season/ by Sabreena Merchant Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com Show Links: -YouTube: @No-Offseason -Instagram: @tanooffseason [https://www.instagram.com/tanooffseason] -TikTok: @no_offseason [https://www.tiktok.com/@no_offseason] Credits: -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings -Produced by Taneka Burrell -Executive Produced by Andrea B. Scott Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS Thumbnail: Joe Buglewicz / Stringer / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images Elsa / Staff / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images