18
Apr
Ultimate Guide
Every WNBA player and what they will earn in 2026
Steph Talbot (left), Alanna Smith, Ezi Magbegor, Sami Whitcomb and Jade Melbourne. Photos: Getty Images
Highlights
Twelve Australians set to earn over $8.5M in 2026 WNBA salaries under new CBA boom
- Saffron Shiels, Amelia Hassett, Charlise Dunn and Manuela Puoch all taken in 'W' Draft
- $5.2M: Alanna Smith signs richest contract in history
- Opal Ezi Magbegor lands $2M Storm supermax contract
Twelve Australian women's basketball stars including Alanna Smith and Ezi Magbegor – both earning core/maximum contracts – will earn a combined more than AUD $8.5 million in the 2026 WNBA season.
It's first season of the WNBA's new collective bargaining agreement has dramatically reshaped the league’s financial landscape, with the 2026 salary cap increasing to USD $7 million per team.
WNBA player salaries now range from approximately USD $270,000 to $1.4 million, with elite players commanding near-maximum deals as the league enters a new era of growth.
Smith, 29, joined the Wings as a free agent on a three-year deal worth USD $3.75 million (approximately AUD $5.2 million) under the new WNBA collective bargaining agreement. Her contract averages USD $1.25 million per season, with a 2026 base salary of USD $1.19 million.
While Magbegor, 26, was one of 10 players on 10 different teams to receive the core offer, signing a three-year contract with the Seattle Storm worth USD $3.75 million (approximately AUD $5.2 million) ahead of the 2026 season.
Eight other Australians – four draftees and four training camp invites – could push that number closer to AUD $10 million.
Four Australian women’s basketballers – Saffron Shiels, Amelia Hassett, Charlise Dunn, and Manuela Puoch – were selected in last Tuesday's 2026 WNBA Draft in Manhattan, New York while WNBL rebounding champion Anneli Maley (New York), Ally Wilson (Washington), Miela Sowah (Golden State) and Maddi Rocci (Toronto Tempo) have all been invited to training camps.
Aussies in the WNBA 2026 – Salaries
- Alanna Smith – AUD $1,659,693 (USD $1,190,000)
- Alex Fowler – AUD $376,569 (USD $270,000)
- Chloe Bibby – AUD $387,029 (USD $277,500)
- Ezi Magbegor – AUD $1,743,375 (USD $1,250,000)
- Georgia Amoore – AUD $495,199 (USD $355,058)
- Isobel Borlase – AUD $376,569 (USD $270,000)
- Jade Melbourne – AUD $697,350 (USD $500,000)
- Kristy Wallace – AUD $387,029 (USD $277,500)
- Nyadiew Puoch – AUD $403,254 (USD $289,133)
- Rebecca Allen – AUD $488,145 (USD $350,000)
- Sami Whitcomb – AUD $1,025,105 (USD $735,000)
- Stephanie Talbot – AUD $547,420 (USD $392,500)
2026 WNBA Training Camp Contracts
- Anneli Maley signed a Training Camp Contract with the New York Liberty.
- Ally Wilson signed a Training Camp Contract with the Washington Mystics.
- Miela Sowah signed a Training Camp Contract with the Golden State Valkyries.
- Maddi Rocci signed a Training Camp Contract with the Toronto Tempo.
- Bendigo Spirit import Megan McConnell signed a Training Camp Contract with the Indiana Fever.
- Former Perth Lynx star Laeticia Amihere signed a Training Camp Contract with the Golden State Valkyries.
What is a Training Camp Contract
- No guaranteed salary
- Players are only paid if they make the final roster
If they don’t make the team: Usually receive a small camp stipend (a few thousand USD at most)
If they do make the roster: Convert to a standard WNBA contract. Minimum salary ≈ USD $64,000+
