The $269,244 Enigma: Who Has The Highest WNBA Salary And Why The Future Max Could Hit $1.1 Million
The financial landscape of the WNBA is at a critical inflection point in late 2025, with player salaries and the league's overall valuation soaring to unprecedented heights. For the current 2025 season, the highest reported 'Cap Hit' salary belongs to a dynamic guard, showcasing the league's shift toward rewarding elite performance under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This top-tier figure, which hovers just above the quarter-million-dollar mark, represents the ceiling of the controversial WNBA 'Supermax' contract, a structure designed to keep franchise players with their original teams.
As of late 2025, the maximum base salary for a top-tier WNBA player is locked in by the current CBA, but a massive, groundbreaking proposal is on the table that promises to shatter the current ceiling, potentially pushing the maximum annual salary for the league’s biggest stars well over $1 million. Understanding the current highest salary requires a deep dive into the Supermax rules, the specific contracts of the league’s premier scorers, and the massive revenue disparity that forces many stars to seek lucrative overseas contracts during the WNBA offseason.
Biography and Career Profile: The Current Highest Earner
The title of the highest-paid WNBA player, based on the largest annual 'Cap Hit' for the 2025 season, is a closely contested honor, but the top figure is associated with a premier guard who embodies the league's scoring excellence.
Kelsey Mitchell: Indiana Fever Guard
- Full Name: Kelsey Michelle Mitchell
- Born: November 12, 1995 (29 years old as of late 2025)
- Team: Indiana Fever
- Position: Guard
- WNBA Draft: 2018, 1st Round, 2nd overall pick by the Indiana Fever.
- College: Ohio State University (NCAA Division I record for most career three-pointers made).
- Career Highlights: Two-time WNBA All-Star (2023, 2024), consistently one of the league's top scorers, averaging 17.4 points and 2.9 assists per game over her career.
- Highest 2025 Salary (Cap Hit): Approximately $269,244. (Note: This figure can vary slightly based on bonuses and cap hit calculations, but represents the highest reported current-season figure.)
Mitchell's contract is a prime example of the Supermax designation, a contract extension available to players who meet specific criteria, such as being a former MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or being named to a WNBA All-WNBA team. While other stars like Jackie Young ($252,450), Jewell Loyd ($249,032), and Arike Ogunbowale ($249,032) are also at or near the Supermax tier, Mitchell's reported Cap Hit for 2025 places her at the very top of the league's current earning structure.
The Top 10 Highest Paid WNBA Players for the 2025 Season
The WNBA’s salary structure is governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that runs through 2027, with the 2025 season featuring a league-wide salary cap of approximately $1,507,100 per team. The maximum base salary for a player under the Supermax designation for 2025 is $249,244. This list reflects the players whose annual average salary or 2025 Cap Hit lands them in the top echelon of the league’s earners.
The following list details the top earners, demonstrating the concentration of talent and value at the top of the league's pay scale:
| Rank | Player | Team | 2025 Annual Salary (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kelsey Mitchell | Indiana Fever | $269,244 (Cap Hit) |
| 2 | Jackie Young | Las Vegas Aces | $252,450 |
| 3 | Jewell Loyd | Seattle Storm | $249,032 |
| 4 | Arike Ogunbowale | Dallas Wings | $249,032 |
| 5 | Kahleah Copper | Phoenix Mercury | $248,134 |
| 6 | Satou Sabally | Dallas Wings | $245,508 |
| 7 | DeWanna Bonner | Connecticut Sun | $242,382 |
| 8 | Elena Delle Donne | Washington Mystics | $241,984 |
| 9 | Natasha Cloud | Phoenix Mercury | $239,000 |
| 10 | Skylar Diggins-Smith | Seattle Storm | $234,350 |
The Massive Salary Gap: WNBA vs. NBA and the Overseas Reality
The conversation about the highest WNBA salary is incomplete without addressing the significant revenue and salary disparity compared to the NBA, which continues to be a central issue for the league and its players. This gap is the primary reason the WNBA is pushing for a new, more lucrative CBA.
The Revenue Sharing Discrepancy
The most shocking difference lies in the percentage of league revenue shared with the players. Under the current agreement, WNBA players receive a strikingly low percentage of the league's revenue, often cited as approximately 9% to 10% of the basketball-related income. In stark contrast, NBA players benefit from a CBA that guarantees them nearly 50% of the league's revenue. The NBA's massive revenue streams, which are approaching $10 billion annually, dwarf the WNBA's revenue, which is estimated to be around $200 million.
Average Salary Comparison
The highest WNBA salary of approximately $269,244 is less than the minimum salary for a veteran NBA player. The average WNBA salary for the 2025 season is around $119,590. Meanwhile, the average NBA salary is a staggering $11.9 million. This financial reality means that even the WNBA's superstars earn a fraction of what an average NBA player makes, fueling the ongoing debate about fair compensation.
The Overseas 'Second Job'
For decades, the relatively low WNBA salaries have forced nearly all players, including the league's biggest stars, to play professional basketball overseas during the WNBA offseason to supplement their income. Playing in leagues in countries like Russia, Turkey, Spain, and China can often earn players contracts that are significantly higher than their WNBA salaries, sometimes reaching up to $1 million or more for a single season. This practice has led to burnout, injuries, and a choice between the WNBA and more lucrative international opportunities, prompting the league to implement rules to incentivize players to stay home.
Future Shock: The Proposed $1.1 Million Maximum Salary
The discussion around the WNBA's financial future is far more exciting than its current figures. Fueled by a new generation of star power, record attendance, and massive media deals, the league is on the verge of a financial reset that could fundamentally change the highest WNBA salary. The current CBA is expected to be replaced by a new, more progressive agreement that directly addresses the revenue sharing issue.
The New CBA Proposal
In late 2025, reports indicated that the WNBA had presented a proposal for a new CBA that would dramatically increase player compensation. Key proposals include:
- Maximum Salary Over $1.1 Million: The most significant change is the potential to raise the maximum annual player salary to over $1.1 million, a figure that would instantly shatter the current $249,244 ceiling.
- Average Salary of $530,000: The proposal aims to raise the average player salary to approximately $530,000, which would be a nearly five-fold increase from the current average.
- Revenue Sharing: The new agreement is expected to tie the salary cap and player salaries directly to league and team revenue, ensuring that as the WNBA grows, the players' share of the profits grows proportionally. This shift from a fixed increase to a revenue-tied model is the most crucial element for long-term financial growth.
This potential financial revolution, driven by the league's expansion and the massive impact of college stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers, signals a new era for the WNBA. While the current highest WNBA salary is a modest figure by professional sports standards, the proposed changes mean that future WNBA superstars could soon be earning seven-figure salaries, finally allowing them to focus solely on their WNBA careers without the necessity of playing overseas.
Key Entities & Terms for WNBA Salary Discussion
To fully grasp the WNBA's financial structure, several key entities and terms are essential:
- WNBA Supermax Contract
- Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)
- WNBA Salary Cap ($1,507,100)
- Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever)
- Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces)
- Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm)
- Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings)
- Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury)
- Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever Rookie)
- Angel Reese (Chicago Sky Rookie)
- WNBA Player's Association (WNBPA)
- Basketball Related Income (BRI)
- Revenue Sharing
- Overseas Contracts (Russia, Turkey, China)
- WNBA Expansion (Future teams)
- Minimum Player Salary ($66,079 in 2025)
- Indiana Fever
- Las Vegas Aces
- Dallas Wings
- Phoenix Mercury
- Seattle Storm
- New York Liberty
- Washington Mystics
- Connecticut Sun
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