Road to $1M paydays: How WNBA salaries evolved with each CBA

Though there’s a long way to go before the WNBA and its players association reach a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement, after months of contentious negotiations, one thing seems certain: For the first time in WNBA history, a player will make a $1 million salary in 2026. The league’s most recent proposal calls for a $5 million salary cap -- a massive 230% increase -- that will produce some of the largest contracts for American women’s professional athletes across any sport. A proposed 20% max salary for individual players would produce base salaries up to $1 million, with additional escalators based on league revenue that the WNBA estimates would bring their full value to $1.3...