The Women's National Basketball Association is embarking on its 30th season, a milestone that coincides with a historic collective bargaining agreement that has dramatically transformed the financial landscape for its players. After 17 months of intense negotiations, the Women's National Basketball Players Association secured a new deal that introduces revenue sharing and boosts average salaries to an estimated $583,000.
A New Era of Compensation
This season, every player will earn a minimum of $270,000, a substantial increase from the previous $66,000. Some stars could earn as much as $1.4 million. Veteran forward Alysha Clark of the Dallas Wings, who also serves as vice-president of the players' association, describes the development as 'amazing.' She emphasizes that the agreement is not just about enhancing the lives of superstars or rookies but about uplifting the entire league.
'This isn't only going to enhance the superstars in our league and the rising stars of the rookies, but it's going to change the lives of the heartbeat of the league,' Clark says. 'And that's the majority of players, players like me, that fill in the gaps between those two.' Her own salary has risen from $110,000 two years ago to $277,500.
Clark acknowledges the efforts of previous generations who fought to ensure the league's survival. 'And now our job was to carry that torch. And now the players coming in, not only do they not know a world without the WNBA, but now they're not going to know a world where they're having to scrape by to be a professional athlete.'
Investing in Futures and Families
The new deal enables players to invest in their futures and support their families. Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams, whose salary jumped from $180,000 last year to $1.19 million, plans to purchase a new home for her mother. 'I'm getting my mama a new house,' Williams says. 'So my mama is in a trailer right now. We've been in it for my whole life. So I'm able to put her in a new house. Pay off our cars, retire her.'
Previously, many players spent offseasons playing abroad in countries like Russia, Turkey, and China, where salaries were higher but came with risks. Brittney Griner's detention in Russia in 2022 highlighted those dangers. The new salaries give players the option to stay home, play in domestic leagues like Unrivaled, or rest.
'We want players in the future generations to be able to stay at home,' Clark says. 'We don't want to have to have them sacrifice time away from family and friends during holidays.'
Financial Freedom and Respect
Maddy Siegrist of the Dallas Wings, whose salary rose from $83,781 to $501,180, notes that playing overseas is now a choice rather than a necessity. Alanna Smith, earning $1.19 million with the Wings, says the deal has changed her retirement planning. 'Future planning, retirement-wise, was always on my mind,' Smith says. 'But now with the salaries that we're getting, it's a little bit easier to plan for the future.'
The negotiations were also about respect. Clark says feeling respected by the league's leadership was crucial. Williams adds that the process was complex, noting that the league had to pay back $8 million in revenue sharing after becoming profitable for the first time. 'I just need everybody to just sit back, do a little research and understand what's going on,' Williams says.
The fight continues, Williams says. 'We made history. We're the first league that made this big of a jump on our own salaries, right? So it's like, we see what's going on. Everybody can see what's going on.'
