The day after the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) agreed to extend their current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) until January 9, the league presented a new offer aimed at boosting player salaries. According to a source close to the discussions who spoke anonymously to USA TODAY Sports, the latest offer features a guaranteed base salary up to $1 million, along with revenue sharing that could push a player’s total earnings beyond $1.2 million by 2026.
This proposal also suggests increasing the minimum annual salary to over $225,000 and the average salary to more than $500,000, surpassing the WNBA’s November 18 offer of $220,000 and $460,000, respectively. Additionally, the salary cap would jump to $5 million per team per year from $1.5 million in 2025, with planned further increases tied to annual league revenue growth, though precise revenue-sharing details remain undisclosed.
The league and players union had previously agreed to extend the CBA deadline twice to avoid disruptions, first to November 30 and now to January 9, 2026, with either side able to end the extension on 48 hours’ notice. Historically, the WNBA has never experienced a stoppage in nearly 30 years of operation.
Last season’s minimum salary was $66,079, while the highest pay—known as the supermax—was $249,244, with only five players earning over $225,000. The ongoing negotiations reflect a shared commitment to improving player compensation, although differences over revenue sharing and salary structures continue to fuel debate.
Fan Take: This proposed raise in player earnings marks a historic step forward for the WNBA, potentially transforming the financial landscape for its athletes. For fans, it signals a growing valuation of women’s basketball talent and promises to boost the league’s competitiveness and visibility in the sports world.
