The WNBA’s pay explosion, plus more buzzer madness
· Yahoo Sports
Good morning! Ensure you know how to operate your dancing robot’s kill switch today. Inside:
🚀 WNBA salaries go whoosh
Visit extonnews.click for more information.
🎆 Second-round men’s drama
😬 A buzzer-not-quite-beater
Big Deals: The WNBA’s historic CBA, by the numbers
Fear not! After months of anticipation, we will indeed have a 2026 WNBA season (and an on-time one, at that) after the league and WNBA Players Association agreed to and signed the new landmark CBA.
Moving forward, players will be paid more — a lot more — than ever before: This season’s lowest-paid player will earn more than 2025’s highest-paid players. For example, incoming rookie Azzi Fudd’s minimum WNBA salary in 2026 will be more than eight-year veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell made on a super-maximum salary in 2025. Wild.
We touched on this earlier this week, but felt like circling back because the numbers are astounding, and well-deserved. Let’s get into some:
$1.4 million: This season’s super-max salaries under the new CBA. Stars like A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart are expected to earn such numbers, and will individually make only $100,000 less than any entire WNBA team last season.
$300,000: This season’s minimum salary. Fever forward Brianna Turner said on X her 2019 rookie salary was $44,207, and that a minimum salary like 2026’s seemed “unfathomable years ago.”
$600,000: The new average salary, once revenue is factored in. (This does make me wonder, will players also need/want/continue to play overseas for additional salary?)
20 percent: The gross league revenue players will receive.
$7 million: This year’s salary cap, nearly five times the previous amount of $1.5 million in 2025.
As most things go, this CBA is relative. The new agreement hinges on that of 2020’s. The negotiations six years ago set the stage for players to demand more, and they did: The maximum salary nearly doubled (to nearly $250,000) and players were granted maternity benefits. Our Chantel Jennings explains how the 2020 CBA was considered a genuine win — until it wasn’t, spurred by the unforeseen and monumental growth of the league (thanks largely to the Caitlin Clark-led 2024 draft class).
But back to the present, where there isn’t much time to look anywhere but forward. It’ll be quite the abbreviated and busy offseason, with more deals and handshakes to come:
Knowing CBA negotiations were taking place in 2026, union leaders previously advised players to position themselves as free agents this year, even if that meant accepting shorter-term contracts, so that they could capitalize on the new salaries afforded by the CBA.
The potential free-agency frenzy is bookended by the expansion draft (likely April 6, for new teams Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo) and the WNBA Draft (April 13). Preseason games start April 25.
There are lots of big names in this free-agency cycle. Find them here.
The “No Offseason” podcast also succinctly explained the new pay structure this week.
And I can’t leave you without sharing my favorite WNBA fact, as a native New Yorker: The Liberty’s mascot, Ellie the Elephant, is an ode to Brooklyn. In 1883, elephants were marched across the Brooklyn Bridge after it was built to dispel any concerns about its structural integrity. So, Ellie became the team’s official mascot ahead of its move to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in 2021.
Funky? Sounds more trunky to me.
News to Know
Madness reigns at night
It was a fantastic evening of basketball. You had No. 11 Texas, who had lost five of six heading into the First Four, playing stifling defense against No. 3 Gonzaga in the second half and nailing the Zags’ coffin with a Camden Heide corner 3. Then Nebraska-Vanderbilt one-upped that with an absolute humdinger — four lead changes in the final couple of minutes, ending as a half-court heave from Vandy’s Tyler Tanner went halfway down and out again. So close:
Anyhow, Nebraska heads to its first-ever Sweet 16. And plucky No. 12 High Point, after stunning No. 5 Wisconsin in the first round, did themselves proud by hanging tough in an eventual loss to No. 4 Arkansas and freshman scoring machine Darius Acuff Jr. It was fun. For much more on those games and other Day 2 highlights, head here.
FDU coach calls for neutral sites
No 15 seed has ever advanced in the women’s tournament — No. 2 seeds are 128-0 in the first round — but Fairleigh Dickinson managed to at least give Iowa a solid scare, trailing by a bucket in the final four minutes before the Hawkeyes pulled away, 58-48. Afterward, FDU coach Stephanie Gaitley was gracious but said it’s time for the women to play on neutral courts in the early rounds. Iowa coach Jan Jensen told her she agreed, Gaitley said. Read the full story here.
Also yesterday: Probably the tourney’s best game so far featured an incredible false ending when Clemson’s Mia Moore raced down the court to drain a wild 3-pointer against heavy contact, only for it to be ruled a fraction late. USC then won 71-67 in OT. Brutal. More on that and other Day 2 takeaways here.
More news:
Team USA flag football mopped the floor with teams made up largely of NFL pros. Interesting.
Ho-hum, another career NBA record for LeBron James. This time it’s games played, passing Robert Parish. And after 1,612 of them, he remains very good.
Meanwhile Kevin Durant moved into fifth on the NBA’s all-time scorer list, displacing one Michael Jordan.
MLB umpire Bill Miller was caught on a hot mic saying “please be a strike” during an ABS pitch challenge. Two amazing things: 1. It’s not the first time he’s been caught on a hot mic. 2. He wanted to be wrong! Read/watch.
The Pirates reassigned baseball’s top prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin, to minor league camp. More here.
Trae Young could be done for the year, which sure suits the tanking Wizards.
Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl will miss the rest of the regular season but hopes to return during the playoffs with the help of “Healing Hans.” (Who?)
Team USA flag football mopped the floor with teams made up largely of NFL pros. Interesting.
Ho-hum, another career NBA record for LeBron James. This time it’s games played, passing Robert Parish. And after 1,612 of them, he remains very good.
Meanwhile Kevin Durant moved into fifth on the NBA’s all-time scorer list, displacing one Michael Jordan.
MLB umpire Bill Miller was caught on a hot mic saying “please be a strike” during an ABS pitch challenge. Two amazing things: 1. It’s not the first time he’s been caught on a hot mic. 2. He wanted to be wrong! Read/watch.
The Pirates reassigned baseball’s top prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin, to minor league camp. More here.
Trae Young could be done for the year, which sure suits the tanking Wizards.
Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl will miss the rest of the regular season but hopes to return during the playoffs with the help of “Healing Hans.” (Who?)
Watch Guide
📺 Arsenal vs. Manchester City
12:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+
The Carabao Cup final carries extra weight this year. Premier League leaders Arsenal are chasing a historic quadruple — the league title, both domestic cups and the Champions League. With no major trophies since 2020, they could mark the beginning of a new era with a win here. City are nine points behind in the league, but have a game in hand and could do serious damage to the Gunners’ psyche by playing spoilers. Check out all the subplots here.
📺 NCAAW: Second round
12 p.m.-10 p.m.
ESPN networks
It stands to be another competitive day, with three 4-5 matchups on the slate. And while two-seed LSU is a legit contender and will be heavily favored against Texas Tech (3 p.m., ABC), this is an intriguing styles clash: the nation’s top scoring offense against a stingy Red Raiders defense.
📺 NCAAM: Second round
12:10 p.m.-9:45 p.m. ET
CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV
A particularly strong block on CBS: Two-seed Iowa State could be without injured star forward Joshua Jefferson against a Kentucky fueled by vibes after Friday’s dramatic finish (2:45 p.m.), followed by a HOF coaches showdown in Kansas-St. John’s (5:15 p.m.).
Get tickets to games like this here.
Pulse Picks
Anthony Evans was the head coach at Norfolk State when it pulled off one of March Madness’ biggest upsets. The key, he says? Don’t think like an underdog.
I am a sucker for an unhinged minor-league baseball team merch drop and a bunch of new ones just got released! I am debating between the Pawtucket Hot Wieners and the Fort Wayne PufferBellies. — Noah Chestnut
Gotham FC’s path to lifting its second championship trophy in three seasons was every bit intentional. Here’s how to build an NWSL title-winning roster, according to the club.
I’m all about a one-bowl bake, and you might already have all the ingredients on hand for this customizable carrot cake. Maybe even better as leftovers! — Torrey Hart
Zach Harper’s NBA Misery Index is back. Extremely scientific.
Quick explainers! When oil prices go up, what else? A lot! And yes, that’s a bird angling for a cigarette. Puff, puff, nest. — Chris Sprow
“The Athletic Show” covers this week’s full slate of basketball news, from the WNBA CBA deal to NBA expansion and March Madness. Stream it on Fire TV, The Athletic app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: The timeout-that-wasn’t during the crazy end to regulation in Santa Clara-Kentucky.
📫 That’s all for now! Say hello at [email protected], and check out our other newsletters.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
WNBA, Men's College Basketball, The Pulse
2026 The Athletic Media Company