Thu, December 04, 2025
WNBA proposes $1 million base salary along with compensation tied more closely to the league’s revenue
In the Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) latest collective bargaining agreement update, it has proposed a $1 million base salary for athletes on max deals, which is the largest contract a player can sign, partly determined by their years of service in the league. It has also agreed to increase compensation in line with revenue growth. With revenue sharing, this amount could rise to over $1.2 million. The WNBA’s initial proposal was around $1.1 million, including revenue share.
The initial proposal was dismissed by the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), and the deadline for both parties to agree is now January 9, 2026. This is the second time the deadline has had to be extended.
According to ESPN, the latest offer will result in a $5 million salary cap in 2026, which should grow annually alongside revenue. In general, $225,000 will likely be the minimum salary for players in 2026. The average salary in general is likely to exceed $500,000.
In 2025, the league's minimum salary was $66,079, the supermax was $249,244 and the salary cap was $1,507,100 – as opposed to the estimated $5 million cap in 2026. Previously, to the disapproval of the WNBPA, this increased at a fixed rate of 3% each year. The WNBPA wants the system to be a closer reflection of the NBA, where the salary cap is directly determined by basketball-related income (BRI), and this is what the latest WNBA proposal leans towards.
Despite this, it has also recently been reported that the league may cut housing for players. Player Brianna Turner voiced: “housing should be a priority, not just to maintain the best on court product, but also in terms of player safety.” Turner is a member of the WNBPA Executive Committee. The WNBA has also proposed an earlier start to training camps for players which could result in scheduling issues. Therefore, both parties still have much to discuss before the extended deadline comes around.
