The National Women’s Basketball Players Association ratified the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement Monday, calling it “transformational” and “bigger than basketball.”
The new CBA begins this season and will continue until 2032.
When asked for her opinion on the most important outcome of the agreement, WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike had two words: “Bank accounts.”
“Being able to have your value primarily tied to your salary is everything we’ve been fighting for, and that’s what we’ve been able to achieve,” Ogwumike told CNBC Sport in an interview.
The deal increases the average player salary to $583,000 in 2026, with the potential to increase to more than $1 million by 2032. The maximum player salary will now be $1.4 million in 2026 and could reach more than $2.4 million by 2032, based on current WNBA financial projections.
Ogwumike acknowledged the salary increases could change players’ plans for how they spend their offseason.
The average WNBA salary was $120,000 in 2025, prompting many players to play overseas or in other leagues, like the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league, to earn extra money.
“Prioritizing where you want to play is going to be a lot different now that we’ve been able to negotiate a structure, a salary structure, tied to the revenue of the company,” Ogwumike said.
Several WNBA players, including five-time WNBA All-Star Napheesa Collier, have expressed a loss of confidence in WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in recent months, criticizing her empathy and communication with players. Ogwumike expressed optimism that the players will be able to work in tandem with Engelbert under the new CBA structure.
“I told him we were here with you, Cathy,” Ogwumike said. “We were able to come to this agreement and go through the process, even though it was difficult or smooth, we got there. It’s important for her to understand that we as players are at the table with her and all of the WNBA leadership for achieving something that is incredibly historic. So, I feel like there’s probably no better way to represent us in resolving our differences and moving forward in a league that we all care about by signing this agreement.”
Watch CNBC Sport shows complete interview with WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike.
—CNBC Jessica Dore contributed to this report.