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The WNBA’s milestone 30th season is scheduled to tip off in less than two months. On Wednesday, the marathon negotiations between the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association ended with an historic agreement on a collective bargaining agreement.
The two sides verbally agreed to a deal that would raise teams’ salary caps to $7 million, ESPN reported. Last season’s salary cap was $1.5 million. Players will be eligible for supermax deals starting at $1.4 million in 2026, up from $249,244 in 2025.
Every WNBA player will earn at least $300,000 under the new CBA, sources told ESPN.
Diana Taurasi, an 11-time All-Star and three-time WNBA champion, reacted to the latest development. The former Phoenix Mercury guard said she believes the deal is a step in the right direction.
“The WNBA has gone through a long journey over the last 30 years,” she told The Spun. “There’s a lot of hard work, grit, perseverance and determination. This is just another milestone for women’s sports. It’s nice to see the WNBA in a better place than where you left it.”
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The details of the term sheet are still being finalized. The next step is ratification by the players and the league’s board of governors.
Taurasi’s sentiments echoed WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s stance about what she described as a landmark deal.
“The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league,” Engelbert told reporters shortly after the deal was struck early Wednesday, “and it’s underscoring a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game.
“It’s [been] a process, but we’re very proud to be leading in women’s sports, and these players are amazing, and we’re going to have an amazing 30th season tipping off in May.”
Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA executive committee president Nneka Ogwumike, who participated in the prolonged bargaining sessions, commended the efforts that led to the new CBA.
“We’re just really grateful to be able to come to a deal,” Ogwumike said. “We’re proud of ourselves. And quite frankly, we always told you all we were going to stand on business, and that’s what this looks like.
Once the new CBA is finalized, it will mark the sixth agreement in WNBA history, with the previous one reached in 2020. The full terms of the new deal are expected to reflect the league’s recent surge in growth, viewership and overall popularity.
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