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Caitlin Clark, WNBA players' reported new salaries after CBA deal

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sami Haider | Last updated Mar 18, 2026 5:35 PM ET

Caitlin Clark finally looked like herself again in San Juan. Named MVP of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, she led Team USA to a 5-0 record while leading the tournament with 6.4 assists per game. She also averaged 11.6 points on 52.9% shooting, proving she’s recovered from the injuries that ruined her second WNBA season.

Before her 2025 season ended in July, Clark played only 13 games for the Indiana Fever due to her season-ending injury. During that stretch, she averaged 16.5 points and 8.8 assists but struggled from deep, hitting just 27.9% of her threes. In this tournament, however, her range improved, hitting 40% from three-point range. She hit deep shots both off the dribble and the catch, the strongest sign yet that she’s back to full strength.

In this vacuum, the WNBA's new pay structure finally matches its popularity. After 17 months of talks, the league and the players' union have reached a deal that more than quadruples the average salary, jumping from about $120,000 to over $530,000.

Spotrac confirmed, “WNBA & players have reached agreement on a new CBA that will increase the average player compensation to over $500,000. Salaries last season carried an average of around $107,000 according to our data.”

Per reports, the WNBA & players have reached agreement on a new CBA that will increase the average player compensation to over $500,000.

Salaries last season carried an average of around $107,000 according to our data.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 18, 2026

Under the agreement, max contract players would earn more than $1 million per year beginning this season, with a supermax salary of $1.3 million in Year 1, climbing to roughly $2 million by Year six.

Clark, however, won't hit that tier right now. Under the new rule, she becomes eligible for the $1.3 million supermax in 2027. But for 2026, she is expected to earn around $500,000 on a revised rookie contract, a big jump from the $78,066 salary she was scheduled to earn in 2025 before the new agreement.

After the verbal agreement on Wednesday, players and league officials celebrated with a champagne toast at the Langham Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

During the celebration, the Fever's guard gave an emotional toast, saying, "What we just accomplished is going to change the lives of so many players."

Next, Clark and Team USA will head to Berlin this September for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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