Rebekah Gardner Aims to Boost WNBA Future Through Athletes Unlimited Success
NASHVILLE, TN — Veteran guard Rebekah Gardner is navigating one of the most uncertain stretches of her professional career, leaning on her strong play in Athletes Unlimited to solidify her future with the New York Liberty as the WNBA faces ongoing delays in collective bargaining talks.
At 36 years old, Gardner finds herself in a unique position. The Liberty currently retain her exclusive negotiating rights as a reserved free agent, but a lack of clarity around the WNBA’s offseason and upcoming season has left many players, including Gardner, in limbo.
With key issues such as revenue sharing and housing still unresolved in the league’s collective bargaining agreement negotiations, preparations for the 2026 WNBA season have slowed, complicating offseason planning for athletes and franchises alike.
AU Performance Raises Profile
Amid the uncertainty, Gardner has turned to Athletes Unlimited (AU), the independent professional basketball circuit that features a four-week, player-driven format, as a platform to showcase her continued value. She has been averaging noteworthy numbers — including 13.3 points per game while playing with impressive efficiency against a competitive field.
Her AU campaign hasn’t merely been about scoring. Gardner’s leadership on the court has helped her climb the league’s leaderboard and earn recognition — at times placing her among the top players in the season standings alongside well-known veterans.
“It would be nice to know what the next few months are going to look like,” Gardner said in a recent interview, reflecting on the slow pace of negotiations and her personal offseason plans, which remain fluid pending a resolution to the WNBA’s labor talks.
Liberty Future Still Unclear
Gardner’s long career includes stops overseas, a standout collegiate tenure at UCLA, and recent seasons in the WNBA where she has carved out a role as a dependable guard/forward. The Liberty acquired her rights in 2024 and keep her among their roster options as they plan for the future.
However, with negotiations still unsettled, Gardner — like many players — is weighing where and how she will spend the coming months. “Should I go back to L.A.? Should I go back to New York? Or how long am I going to stay in L.A.?” she said, underscoring the uncertainty many players face until the league’s labor situation is resolved.
Veteran poise in uncertain times
While the outcome of these stalled negotiations will ultimately decide when the WNBA season begins and what opportunities unfold, Gardner is choosing to let her on-court performance speak for itself. Her AU accomplishments so far — a mix of scoring, leadership and competitive poise — may offer one of her best chances to shape the narrative of her professional future heading into 2026.
