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More Than 50% of WNBA Players Are With New Teams This Season
TL;DR
Over 50% of WNBA players have switched teams this season, with only 84 out of 180 players returning to their previous teams. A new collective bargaining agreement has significantly raised player salaries, and a record number of games will be broadcast nationally.
Key points
- More than 50% of WNBA players have changed teams this season
- Minimum salary increased from $66,000 to $270,000
- Maximum salary raised from $250,000 to $1.4 million
- 216 regular-season games will be broadcast nationally
- Only 84 of 180 players are returning to their previous teams
The WNBA is getting a fresh start this season. Many, in fact.
A new collective bargaining agreement raised salaries across the boardāthe minimum rose from $66,000 to $270,000, and the maximum increased from $250,000 to $1.4 million. The leagueās new media rights deal will deliver a record 216 regular-season games to national audiences across nine different networks.
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Itās also a fresh start for more than half of the leagueās players. Teams finalized their rosters on Thursday afternoon, and only 84 of the 180 players are returning to teams for which they played last season, not counting developmental contracts or overseas players.
WNBA players anticipated pay raises this year due to the labor dispute, and many timed their contracts to expire this offseason so they could enter free agency in a more lucrative market. More than 30 of those free agents switched teams, including three-time All-Star Satou Sabally, who joined the New York Liberty, the 2024 champions.
Two free agents signed deals with new teams worth an average of $1.25 million annually: Gabby Williams with the Golden State Valkyries and Alanna Smith with the Dallas Wings. Dallas added four additional free agents to bolster their roster surrounding a pair of No. 1 overall draft picksā (2025) and Azzi Fudd (2026).
Q&A
What are the new salary ranges for WNBA players this season?
The minimum salary has increased from $66,000 to $270,000, while the maximum salary has risen from $250,000 to $1.4 million.
How many WNBA players are changing teams this season?
More than half of WNBA players are with new teams this season, with only 84 of the 180 players returning to their previous teams.
What changes are happening in WNBA broadcasting this season?
A new media rights deal will allow for a record 216 regular-season games to be broadcast across nine different networks.