Though the WNBA season is still several weeks away, the buzz surrounding the league is already electric, thanks to significant happenings off the court. The spotlight turned to the newly formed Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire as they conducted their expansion drafts on April 6. Following this, the free agency period kicked off, setting the stage for a dynamic offseason. The excitement will continue to build with the WNBA Draft on April 13, where fresh talent, likely featuring standout UCLA Bruins from the NCAA champion team, will make their entry into the league.

This offseason is not just about new teams and players; it’s also marked by a financial windfall for the athletes. The introduction of a new collective bargaining agreement results in a remarkable increase in the salary cap for each team, leaping from $1.5 million to $7 million.

Mirroring the NBA, WNBA players’ earnings will now be more closely tied to their tenure and experience. This transformative change in contracts brings significant benefits for players across the league.

Paige Bueckers (L) and A’ja Wilson are two WNBA stars getting big pay increases. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Veteran stars now have the opportunity to secure supermax contracts, a testament to their skill and contribution to the game. Take A’ja Wilson, for instance. Drafted by the Las Vegas Aces in 2018, Wilson has consistently delivered, boasting an impressive career average of 21.4 points and 9.3 rebounds over eight seasons. At 29, she is still in her prime and poised to maintain her stellar performance. Last season, Wilson earned $200,000, but under the new agreement, she stands to receive a supermax contract valued at $1.4 million.

The league projects the average salary to be around $583,000, a figure that positions solid veterans who, while perhaps not stars, are crucial to their teams’ success. This represents a substantial increase from the previous $125,000 to $150,000 range. Even the minimum salary is seeing substantial growth. Players with no experience will start at $270,000, with increments for those with more years in the league, reaching up to $300,000 for those with ten or more years of service.

The WNBA says the average salary will be $583,000. That should be about what solid veterans make—not quite stars, though still strong contributors to the team. Each team will have to decide how much to pay, but it’ll be about four times the $125,000 to $150,000 range many mid-tier veterans made last year. Even the minimum salary is getting a huge bump; players with zero years of experience will make $270,000, with increases at various levels of WNBA service, up to $300,000 for players who have been in the league for a decade or longer.

What about a newer star, like Caitlin Clark or Cameron Brink? The new CBA restructured rookie deals, and that includes ones players are currently playing under. Clark and Brink, the first and second picks, respectively, in the 2024 draft, made $78,066 in salary last season.

The restructured contracts will increase their pay, reduced by 4% for each year they’ve been in the league. That means Clark and Brink will make about $530,000 during the 2026 season. Another feature of the new CBA is the Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract, or EPIC. Players named to All-WNBA teams or winning MVP would be eligible to sign three-year contract extensions before their fourth season begins. Clark will qualify for an EPIC extension.

As for incoming rookies, they’ll see a nice bump, too. Last year, Paige Bueckers was the No. 1 pick, signing a four-year, $340,000 rookie contract. Her deal will get restructured, though the first pick of this season will have a $500,000 salary in her first season alone—significantly more than what Bueckers’s entire deal had been worth.

The WNBA continues to increase in popularity as new stars enter the league. And that popularity means more money for everyone.