Untangling the New WNBA Million-Dollar Contract

by

WNBA players are celebrating a game-winning milestone in their careers.

The players’ union and the WNBA have reached a preliminary agreement on a new contract after a year and a half of talks. Ayesha Clark, the union’s vice president, called the deal “a turning point for women’s basketball.”

Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne announced a significant shift in how the WNBA operates, alongside commissioner Cathy Engelbert, in a March 18th CNBC statement. She explained that players will now share in the league’s financial success, receive salaries that align with their worth, and benefit from a system designed to grow alongside the WNBA. These changes, she said, will empower players, improve the quality of the game, and ultimately create a better experience for fans.

In October 2024, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association decided to end its current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) – a deal that had been in place for four years and still had a year left. The union wanted to negotiate a better agreement, believing the sport’s increasing popularity deserved fairer terms for the players.

Details will be released later, but according to reports from The Athletic and ESPN, negotiations resulted in the WBNA having a team salary cap of $6.2 to $7 million. The league’s best player could also earn a “supermax” salary between $1.3 and $1.4 million.

Engelbert noted that everyone involved had reached an agreement on the main points of the new contract.

We haven’t completed the official agreement yet, but our discussions represent a major advancement for both the players and the league. This highlights our mutual dedication to helping the sport thrive.

So, how much were WNBA players making under their 2020 CBA? 

In 2020, the highest-paid players on the team made as much as $215,000, while the team’s overall salary limit was $1.3 million, according to TopMob News. By 2025, the maximum individual salary increased to $294,244, and the team’s salary cap rose to $1.5 million, thanks to a 3% annual increase.

Players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers are attracting a lot of attention, and the league recognized this could lead to increased revenue. While NBA player salaries are based on the league’s overall income, the WNBA uses a system where salaries increase by a fixed percentage each year.

So, revising the players’ salary system was among the WBNPA’s top priorities. 

In a recent statement, WNBA President Nneka Ogwumike explained that while the league is growing, the current player salary system doesn’t adequately compensate players for their contributions. She emphasized the desire for a fairer share of revenue, particularly given the increasing investment in the league, and a salary structure that appropriately reflects players’ value.

Watch WNBA games on USA Network on Wednesdays beginning in May.

With the WNBA season on hold, let’s take a look at how much other professional athletes earn.

(TopMob News, USA Network and CNBC are all part of the Versant Media family.)

Cristiano Ronaldo’s earnings are legendary in the world of sports. He consistently ranks as one of the highest-paid athletes globally. In June 2025, Ronaldo extended his contract with Al-Nassr FC in Saudi Arabia for two years. Although the specific details weren’t made public, reports suggest he initially earned around $200 million per year when he joined the team in 2022, following his departure from Manchester United.

Lionel Messi started his career with Inter Miami CF with a substantial contract. According to the MLS Players Association, the Argentine star, who signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with David Beckham’s team in 2023 after playing for Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, will earn an average of over $20.4 million per year, with a current base salary of $12 million.

Despite progress towards equal pay, a significant gap remains between the earnings of male and female athletes. For example, the 2025 list of the top 50 highest-paid athletes published by Forbes didn’t include any women.

Alex Morgan, who retired from professional soccer in 2024, was ranked 16th on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid female athletes last year. They estimated she earned $600,000 from playing and $7 million through endorsements in 2024.

Although steps have been taken to close the pay gap—like U.S. Soccer equalizing World Cup prize money for its men’s and women’s teams—achieving true equity in sports compensation will take continued effort.

Caitlin Clark, the first pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, signed a four-year contract with the Indiana Fever. According to reports, the contract is worth $338,056, with a rookie salary of $76,535. This relatively low figure surprised many, especially when compared to the much higher salaries of NBA players. Beyond her team contract, Clark has secured several endorsement deals, including a significant $28 million deal with Nike.

Stephen Curry was the highest-paid NBA player for the 2025-2026 season, earning $59.6 million, according to ESPN. The Golden State Warriors then secured his future with the team by signing him to a $62.6 million contract extension through 2027, as confirmed by his agent to CNBC in August 2024.

And leading the way in earnings? LeBron James. ESPN reports the Los Angeles Lakers forward earned $52.6 million during the 2025-2026 season.

Oh my gosh, Coco Gauff is just incredible! I mean, she’s not just winning matches, she’s dominating the financial game too! I was so excited to see she topped Forbes‘ list of highest-paid female athletes in 2024 – she made a whopping $34.4 million! It’s amazing to think she earned $9.4 million from playing and then a massive $25 million from endorsements and everything else. She’s a superstar, seriously!

Naomi Osaka is also doing incredibly well with her sponsorships and endorsements. According to Forbes, she earned around $12.9 million in 2024, with $12 million of that coming from off-court deals – meaning everything besides prize money from tournaments.

Simone Biles had a golden year both in and out of competition. Forbes estimates she earned $11.2 million in 2024, with most of that – around $11 million – coming from sources other than her gymnastics competitions.

Wondering how much Travis Kelce earns playing for the Kansas City Chiefs? He recently signed a two-year contract worth $34.25 million, as reported by NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

Patrick Mahomes, his teammate, earned a substantial amount of money when he signed a 10-year, $450 million contract with the Chiefs in 2020, as reported by his agency, Equity Sports.

The Buffalo Bills made sure to secure quarterback Josh Allen with a new contract. In March 2025, he signed a six-year, $330 million deal, with $250 million guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport.

Oh my gosh, you guys, Russell Wilson is a Giant now! I seriously can’t believe it! After everything with Seattle, then Denver, and even a short stint in Pittsburgh, he’s signed a one-year deal with the Giants for $10.5 million. Rapoport, Pelissero, and Garafolo said he could even make up to $21 million with incentives! I’m already picturing him leading them to victory – this is HUGE! I’m so excited to see what he does in New York, I’ve been a fan forever and I just know he’ll be amazing.

Aaron Rodgers is now the Steelers’ quarterback, having previously played for the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers. He’ll be wearing number 8, but his contract is substantial. He signed a one-year deal in June 2025 worth $13.65 million, with $10 million guaranteed. He could potentially earn up to $19.5 million more through performance-based incentives, according to NFL Network’s Rapoport and Pelissero.

Read More

2026-03-19 03:25