The new WNBA Collecive Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will change a lot of things in the WNBA, and one of the biggest is how much players are being paid. A lot of attention has been paid to the fact that rookie contrats are increasing, and that players who are currently in the league on their rookie contracts will see their bottom line go up.
That list of players includes Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who were both drafted in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Clark was signed to the Indiana Fever, and Reese to the Chicago Sky.
The pair were paid slightly different amounts last year due to the position at which they were drafted. Clark's 2025 base salary was $78,066, and Reese's was $74,909. This year, Clark will be paid $527,155 and Reese will be paid $349,571.
Those paychecks are already major jumps from what both players were receiving, but fans have noticed that there's a big difference between the two higher numbers. That difference is due to new rules in the CBA that stipulate that players will get an extra income boost if they are named to an All-WNBA team in their first or second years of service; Clark was named All-WNBA after her rookie season.
Clark is also expected to be eligible for the league's max contract during the 2027 season.
The new CBA has changed the rules for No. 1 draft picks
The new CBA also changes the game a bit for incoming No. 1 WNBA Draft picks, who will begin the 2026 season with a base salary of $500,000. That number will increase to $520,000 in 2027, $572,000 in 2028, and $646,360 in their fourth and final year on the rookie contract.
The WNBA payscale has always descended based on where a player is drafted. Those who are drafted at spots No. 1 through 8 are paid one amount; that amount descreases for those drafted at spots No. 9 through 15. The new CBA states that the rest of the players drafted will make $270,000 if they remain on a team during the 2026 season.
There are other measures that make it a little more likely a second or third round player may have a greater chance of staying on a roster this year. The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will hold their expansion drafts on April 3, and then will also be able to take advantage of free agency. Both teams will then participate in the 2026 WNBA Draft.