Press Release

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257765 size-large" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image001-1024x90.png" alt="" width="1024" height="90" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image001-1024x90.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image001-300x26.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image001-768x67.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image001.png 1427w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
CBS Sports to Present up to 20 Regular Season Games Annually on
The CBS Television Network and Paramount+ 
An Expanded “THE WNBA TIP-OFF SHOW” Returns Led by 
WNBA Legends Lisa Leslie and Renee Montgomery and Host Jenny Dell
 CBS Sports and the WNBA have expanded their seven‑year partnership through a new long‑term, multiplatform rights agreement. Under the enhanced package, CBS Sports will feature up to 20 regular‑season games annually on the CBS Television Network and streaming live on Paramount+. CBS Sports will present 20 regular-season games for the upcoming 2026 season, marking the Network’s most ever WNBA games on broadcast television.
“The WNBA’s growth and cultural impact have never been stronger, and CBS Sports is proud to deepen our longstanding partnership with a league that continues to drive the evolution of women’s sports,” said Dan Weinberg, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports. “With our entire schedule of games on broadcast television, we are broadening the league’s reach and amplifying the WNBA’s momentum with best‑in‑class coverage that reflects the excellence of its athletes and resonates with fans.”
Jordan Kent (play-by-play), Isis “Ice” Young (analyst) and Tiffany Blackmon (sideline) return as the WNBA on CBS’s lead broadcast team.
THE WNBA TIP OFF SHOW, the Network’s pregame, halftime and postgame studio show, is back and will expand to support 10 matchups including six shows airing on CBS and Paramount+ and four digital-exclusive editions available via CBS Sports HQ. The show will also welcome Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie as analyst and CBS Sports reporter Jenny Dell as host, joining analyst Renee Montgomery.
The full 2026 WNBA on CBS schedule will be announced at a later date.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257766" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image002.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="500" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image002.jpg 640w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image002-240x300.jpg 240w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257767" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image003.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="500" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image003.jpg 643w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/image003-240x300.jpg 240w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" />

– Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo to Begin Constructing Inaugural Rosters –
NEW YORK, Mar. 25, 2026 – The WNBA’s 14th and 15th franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, set to begin play in May, will begin assembling their respective rosters when the league conducts the WNBA Expansion Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY on Friday, April 3. Coverage and analysis will be provided by ESPN, which will air the WNBA Expansion Draft Special 2026 Presented by State Street Investment Management SPY at 3:30 p.m. ET.
A coin toss will be conducted between Portland and Toronto on Friday, March 27, with the winner having the right to choose between either receiving the first selection in the Expansion Draft or the sixth pick – rather than the seventh pick – in the first round of the annual draft set for Monday April 13, 2026.
The Expansion Draft will consist of two rounds with Portland and Toronto having the ability to select from a designated pool of available players as determined by each of the current 13 teams. The Fire and the Tempo will “snake” picks such that the team that holds the first pick in the first round via the coin toss selection will have the second pick in the second round. In each round, Portland and Toronto will alternate selections and shall have the right to acquire the player contract of, or the negotiating rights to, one player listed on the Unprotected List of each of the existing 13 teams.
In the college draft, Portland and Toronto will alternate picks such that whichever team holds the sixth pick in the first round will then have the seventh pick in the second round and the sixth pick in the third round. The other team will have the seventh pick in the first round, the sixth pick in the second round, and the seventh pick in the third round.
In preparation for the Expansion Draft, each of the existing 13 teams will be required to submit to the league office by Sunday, March 29, a Roster List that includes every player to whom the team has rights – players on the team’s active, suspended, draft list/reserved, core, or retired lists – as of the final day of the 2025 regular season.  The 13 teams will be required to designate a maximum of five “Protected Players” who will not be available for selection in the Expansion Draft. All other players on each team’s Roster List will be eligible for selection by the Fire and Tempo (“Unprotected players)”.
If a player who is not signed to a contract for the 2026 season is selected by Portland or Toronto in the Expansion Draft, the selecting team will receive whatever rights to such player that the existing team would have had if that player was not selected in the Expansion Draft.
Any player who has completed the playing services called for by her [previous] player contract and has five or more years of service as of the end of the 2025 season must be designated on the Roster List as a “Potential Unrestricted Free Agent.” All such players must be further designated as either “Protected Players” or included on the Unprotected List.
Only one of the players selected by Portland and only one of the players selected by Toronto in the Expansion Draft may be a “Potential Unrestricted Free Agent.” Such a Potential Unrestricted Free Agent may be selected even if they can no longer be designated as a Core Player, permitting the selecting team to be the only team that can negotiate a supermax contract with such player.
Between the time that the Roster Lists are submitted and a designated time on the day before the Expansion Draft, Portland and Toronto will be permitted to make the following trades with existing teams: (i) an agreement to select a particular player from an Unprotected List and trade that player to a team other than her existing team; and (ii) an agreement to select (or not select) a particular player from such trading team’s Unprotected List.
# # #
Important Risk Information
State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) is now State Street Investment Management. Please click <a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ssga.com%2Fus%2Fen%2Fabout-us%2Fwhat-we-do&amp;esheet=54325144&amp;newsitemid=20250916954913&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=here&amp;index=2&amp;md5=3920fd23d9fba637b39d145b64dc1648">here</a> for more information.
Investing involves risk of including the risk of loss of principal.
ETFs trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk, fluctuate in market value and may trade at prices above or below the ETFs net asset value. Brokerage commissions and ETF expenses will reduce returns.
Intellectual Property Information: The S&amp;P 500® Index is a product of S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (“S&amp;P DJI”) and have been licensed for use by State Street Global Advisors. S&amp;P® , SPDR® , S&amp;P 500® ,US 500 and the 500 are trademarks of Standard &amp; Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&amp;P”); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”) and has been licensed for use by S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices; and these trademarks have been licensed for use by S&amp;P DJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by State Street Global Advisors. The fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&amp;P DJI, Dow Jones, S&amp;P, their respective affiliates, and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of these indices.
Distributor: ALPS Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, is distributor for SPDR® S&amp;P 500®
Before investing, consider the funds&#8217; investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. To obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus which contains this and other information, call 1-866-787-2257 or visit <a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.statestreet.com%2Fim&amp;esheet=54325144&amp;newsitemid=20250916954913&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=www.statestreet.com%2Fim&amp;index=5&amp;md5=009a7618ec2b33c6900327665ad0a669">www.statestreet.com/im</a>. Read it carefully.
Adtrax # 8842085.1.1.AM.RTL
ALPS Code #SPD004507
Exp. date: 3/31/2027

wnba-expansion-draft-2026-set-for-april-3

WNBA Expansion Draft 2026 Presented By State Street Investment Management SPY Set For Friday, April 3 on ESPN

Analysis

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: March. Where superstars are made. Where shots become historic. Where teams hoist trophies. As we gear up for a month-long women’s basketball frenzy with today’s stars like UConn’s Azzi Fudd, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson, and UCLA’s Lauren Betts, let’s flash back to some WNBA greats who made their mark during the Big Dance in the 1990s before they were pros. 
These players deserve their due for how they captivated audiences en route to winning a national championship. As a nod to the viral social media trend, “What were you like in the ‘90s?” let’s go down memory lane while “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls serenades in the background. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Jennifer Azzi, Stanford (1986–1990)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257751" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-688x1024.jpg" alt="" width="538" height="800" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-688x1024.jpg 688w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-202x300.jpg 202w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-768x1143.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-1032x1536.jpg 1032w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-1376x2048.jpg 1376w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-scaled.jpg 1720w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 538px) 100vw, 538px" />
Before Azzi was an Olympic gold medalist with the 1996 Dreamers and a member of the WNBA Top 20@20, the point guard led Stanford to its first women’s basketball National Championship in 1990. They defeated Auburn, and her future Olympic teammate and WNBA foe Ruthie Bolton, in a thrilling 88-81 victory. Stanford trailed in the first half, but rallied back thanks to Azzi’s 17 points.  
Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer knew her Cardinals were going to win it all that 1990 season. She hung a sign on the locker room door: “1990 National champions. Get comfortable with it.” 
“Not winning never entered our minds,” Azzi <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/annkillion/article/In-Tara-they-trusted-Stanford-s-1990-16053720.php">said</a>.
That year, Azzi racked up the awards. She was named the Wade Trophy winner, Naismith Player of the Year, and the tournament’s most outstanding player. Azzi was drafted fifth overall in the 1999 WNBA draft by the Detroit Shock, who reached the playoffs in her first season. She then played three seasons with the San Antonio Silver Stars, leading the league in the 3-point percentage in both 1999 and 2001.
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Sheryl Swoopes, Texas Tech (1991–1993)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257752" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="800" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-1365x2048.jpg 1365w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px" />
Swoopes was on a mission in 1993. Her Texas Tech Lady Raiders entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed in the West Regional and demolished everyone in their path to reach the National Championship game. They’d face No. 1 overall seed Ohio State, and future WNBA legend Katie Smith, for the title. 
Swoopes scored a Final Four record of 47 points (16-24 from the field and 11-11 from the free-throw line) in the upset, being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Her 144 total tournament points (35.4 ppg) in a five-game stretch still holds 30 years later. It was her 17th 30-plus game. 
“There are no words to describe what a great player she is,” head coach Marsha Sharp <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-04-05-sp-19403-story.html">said of Swoopes then</a>. “I’ve never seen a player who can dominate a game like she can. She’s the greatest player of her time, and she does everything with so much class. She has a certain charisma—it’s why all our people love her so much.”
It was not only women’s basketball’s first title, but it was also the first National Championship in any sport at Texas Tech. 
The Texas native would go on to win the first four championships in WNBA history with the Houston Comets, and would finish her Hall-of-Fame career as a three-time MVP, six-time All-Star, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Charlotte Smith, North Carolina (1991–1995)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257753" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="535" height="800" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-scaled.jpg 1712w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-201x300.jpg 201w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-685x1024.jpg 685w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-768x1149.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-1027x1536.jpg 1027w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-1369x2048.jpg 1369w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 535px) 100vw, 535px" />
Trailing by two points with 0.7 seconds left, North Carolina’s coach Sylvia Hatchell burned back-to-back timeouts. The first huddle’s play was drawn for a 6-foot-5 center, Sylvia Crawley, to catch a lob and finish at the rim. But Louisiana Tech quickly caught on and clogged the paint. The next whistle, a new one was drawn up: a baseline out-of-bounds play that would go for the win. Junior forward Charlotte Smith started on the ball-side block in a box set. On the whistle, she screened diagonally. Tech’s miscommunication left Smith wide open for a weak-side 3. The hometown kid sinks it. UNC’s lone title is stamped as one of the most thrilling title finishes ever.
“When I look back at that moment, the magnitude of it is still pretty shocking because it created waves all over the world,” Smith <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2022-02-16/1994-womens-ncaa-tournament-north-carolinas-charlotte-smith-remembers-buzzer">reminisces</a>. “It put not only women’s basketball on the map and UNC women’s basketball on the map, but Charlotte Smith became a household name.”
Smith was selected 33rd overall in the 1999 draft by the Charlotte Sting, then also played for the Washington Mystics and the Indiana Fever. She’d play eight seasons in the WNBA before getting into coaching; after serving as a long-time assistant coach at UNC, she took over at Elon University and led them to their first NCAA tournament bid in history. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Rebecca Lobo, Connecticut (1991–1995)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-257754" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-280422-e1774456985332.jpg" alt="" width="562" height="800" />
UConn’s first unblemished season came in 1995 with six-foot-four Lobo in the center, and it would go down as one of the most dominant seasons ever. They went a perfect 35-0, and won every regular-season game by double digits. They set the record for the highest average scoring margin at 33.2. (<a href="https://justwomenssports.com/reads/uconn-womens-basketball-undefeated-regular-season-31-0-2026/#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20Huskies%20went%20on,third%2Dhighest%20in%20DI%20history.">This season’s UConn team</a> is winning by a whopping 37.8 ppg. Sheesh.) 
Lobo was crowned the Naismith Player of the Year, the Wade Trophy, and AP Player of the Year for averaging a near double-double (17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds). Soon after the confetti and the national championship celebrations concluded, Lobo was headed to join Team USA — she skipped her college graduation to attend tryouts — and won gold with the 1996 Olympic squad. 
She was one of the founding players of the WNBA with the New York Liberty, was an All-Star in 1999, and is a part of the Naismith Hall of Fame. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (1995–1999)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-257755" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-395005-scaled-e1774457155924.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="800" />
Before Holdsclaw was the No. 1 WNBA draft pick in 1999 and had a historic career for the Washington Mystics, she was wreaking havoc for Pat Summitt’s Tennessee Lady Vols. She’s the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She won three national championships (1996, 1997, and 1998), was the back-to-back MOP in 1997 and 1998, and was the back-to-back Naismith Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999. 
She was also one part of the “Three Meeks”: Semeka Randall, Tamika Catchings, and Holdsclaw. Mik, Meek, and Mique. Not only did they share the same middle syllable, but they shared the same winning desire at Tennessee. “We wanted to go out there and dominate and embarrass people,” Holdsclaw would say decades later. During the 1998 season, they did. A perfect 39-0 with a fairytale national championship ending. They each knew their role: Randall was the floor general, orchestrating Summitt’s offense to a T. Catchings was the defensive wizard, picking pockets and taking names. Holdsclaw was a precisionist, slicing through the defense like she was a contestant on Iron Chef. Together, they molded into a three-headed Meekmonster, virtually impossible to contain. 
Holdsclaw was a six-time WNBA All-Star, getting her first start as a rookie, and won Olympic gold in 2000. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Stephanie White, Purdue (1995–1999)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-257757" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-401663-scaled-e1774457260866.jpg" alt="" width="536" height="800" />
When the game clock struck zero on March 28, 1999, in San Jose, CA, Purdue’s All-American Stephanie White and her head coach Carolyn Peck were national champions. The top-ranked Boilermakers handily beat Duke, 62-45, despite White going down with a severe ankle injury with only four minutes to go in the contest. It was Peck’s last game before heading to the WNBA to be the coach and GM of the Orlando Miracle. The 17,753 fans in the San Jose Arena went wild, and chanted “One more year!” as she cut down the net.
They wish they could’ve said the same for White, who in her senior year nabbed the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, Wade Trophy, and the Honda Sports Award while averaging 20.2 points per game. She’s still the Boilermakers’ third all-time leading scorer. 
White was drafted by the Charlotte Sting in 1999, then played the rest of her six-year WNBA career with the Indiana Fever. But White took to coaching early on, even while she was still playing pro. In the WNBA, she’s made stops in Chicago and Connecticut, where she won Coach of the Year in 2023, before returning to the Fever as head coach in 2025. 
Jordan Robinson is a freelance journalist, author, host, analyst, and content creator based in Los Angeles, CA.

a-look-back-at-tournament-greats

March Icons: A Look Back at Tournament Greats

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257682 size-medium" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/www-300x146.png" alt="" width="300" height="146" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/www-300x146.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/www.png 336w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
NEW YORK, March 24, 2026 – The WNBA Board of Governors has unanimously ratified the terms for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the WNBA announced today. The seven-year agreement will begin with the 2026 season and run through 2032. The WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association will now work together to finalize the long-form agreement.
“This marks the beginning of a bold new era of the WNBA – one made possible by the passion and dedication of the players, team owners, fans, investors, partners and the entire WNBA family,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “We remain focused on building on the unprecedented momentum around the league and preparing for our milestone 30th season, tipping off in May.”
# # #
&nbsp;

board-of-governors-ratifies-cba-terms-2026

WNBA Board of Governors Ratifies Terms of New Collective Bargaining Agreement

Player News

Breanna Stewart and Paige Bueckers embody two of the most statistically significant eras in UConn history, combining for five NCAA Championships and multiple National Player of the Year awards. While Stewart’s tenure is defined by an unprecedented four consecutive titles and four Final Four MOP honors, Bueckers’ career is marked by becoming the first freshman to win major national player of the year awards and later leading the Huskies to the 2025 national title.
Both players were selected No. 1 overall in their respective WNBA Drafts, further solidifying their impact on the program’s legacy. Take a look back at Stewart and Bueckers&#8217; runs at UConn.
<hr />
<h2>Breanna Stewart (2012–2016)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257651" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257651" class="wp-image-257651" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1222487961-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="593" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1222487961-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1222487961-300x185.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1222487961-1024x633.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1222487961-768x475.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1222487961-1536x949.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-1222487961-2048x1266.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Breanna Stewart #30 of the Connecticut Huskies after winning the NCAA Women&#8217;s National Championship at Amalie Arena on April 7, 2015 in Tampa, Florida.</div>
Breanna Stewart’s career at UConn was marked by four consecutive national titles from 2013 to 2016, making her a 4x NCAA Champion and the only player in history to be named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player four times. In addition to her postseason success, Stewart was a 3x AP Player of the Year and a 3x Naismith College Player of the Year (2014–2016).
She was also a 4x AP All-American and a 3x American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, leading to her selection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft.
Collegiate performance spotlight:
2013 National Championship: 23 PTS, 9 REB, 3 BLK
2014 National Championship:  21 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST
2015 Sweet 16: 31 PTS, 12 REB, 7 AST
2015 Final Four: 25 PTS, 8 REB, 4 BLK
2016 National Championship: 24 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST
<hr />
<h2>Paige Bueckers (2020–2025)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257652" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257652" class="wp-image-257652" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2208890388-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2208890388-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2208890388-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2208890388-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2208890388-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2208890388-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2208890388-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Paige Bueckers #5 of the UConn Huskies speaks to the media during a press conference after winning the National Championship of the NCAA Women&#8217;s Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 06, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.</div>
Paige Bueckers’ career at UConn was highlighted by being the first freshman in history to win a major National Player of the Year award. From 2021 to 2025, she was a 3x Unanimous First-team All-American, a 3x Big East Player of the Year, and a 3x Big East Tournament MOP.
In 2025, Bueckers led the program to the NCAA Championship and received the Wade Trophy and the Honda Sports Award. During her tenure, she was also a 2x Nancy Lieberman Award winner and a 4x NCAA All-Tournament selection before being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Collegiate performance spotlight:
2023 Round of 32: 32 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST
2023 Elite Eight: 28 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST
2025 Sweet 16: 40 PTS, 6 REB, 3 STL
2025 Elite Eight: 31 PTS, 6 AST, 4 STL

collegiate-spotlight-uconn

Collegiate Spotlight: University of Connecticut

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-257633 aligncenter" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/11-300x146.png" alt="" width="182" height="89" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/11-300x146.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/11.png 336w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 182px) 100vw, 182px" /><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-257634 aligncenter" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/pa-1.png" alt="" width="146" height="133" />
– New Revenue-Sharing System Expected to Deliver More Than $1 Billion in Player Salaries and Benefits Over the Life of the Agreement –
­– Salary Cap to Increase Nearly 5x – Set at $7.0 Million for 2026, Up From $1.5 Million in 2025 – 
– Historic Salary Growth Across All Contract Levels; Year-One Maximum to Rise to $1.4 Million, Average Salaries to Exceed $583,000, Minimum Salaries Ranging Up to $300,000 Based on Years of Service –
 – Landmark Investments in Player Experience, Retirement Benefits, and Veteran Recognition Payments –
NEW YORK, March 20, 2026 – The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) announced today that they have reached a tentative agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), pending ratification by the players and the league’s Board of Governors.
The new seven-year CBA, which will commence with the 2026 season and run through 2032, represents one of the most transformational labor agreements ever reached in major professional sports.
“This Collective Bargaining Agreement represents a defining moment in the WNBA’s 30-year history and all of women’s professional sports,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Since its inception, the WNBA has been shaped by extraordinary athletes who believed in the league’s future. The agreement is a testament to that belief and to the tremendous progress we have achieved together.”
“Over these past months, this group showed exactly who they are, prepared, relentless, and united when it mattered most, with a clear understanding that their value drives this business and when players win, the league wins,” said WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson. “This agreement delivers what players set out to do from the beginning, transforming the economics of this league. It marks a new era led by players who know their power and chose to use it.”
“We’ve always believed that as this league grows, the players who power it must grow with it, and we’re proud to see that belief shared,” said WNBPA President and 10-Time All-Star Nneka Ogwumike. “We love this game enough to push for what it can become, not just for ourselves, but for those who built this league and those who will carry it forward. This agreement reflects that shared commitment, with players owning their value and future alongside a league growing stronger because of it.”
The 2026 CBA establishes the first comprehensive revenue-sharing model in women’s professional sports history. This groundbreaking model provides unlimited upside for players as league and team revenues continue to grow.
The new system will result in significant increases in player compensation, with the league projecting more than $1 billion in player salaries and benefits over the seven-year agreement. The salary cap for the 2026 season will be set at $7.0 million and will adjust annually based on league and team revenue growth.
The league’s top players will gain the ability to sign the first multi-million-dollar contracts in WNBA history. Maximum-contract players will earn a salary of $1.4 million in 2026 that is expected to grow to more than $2.4 million by 2032, based on current financial projections. The league’s average salary is expected to be $583,000 in 2026 and increase to over $1 million by 2032. Minimum salaries will range from $270,000 to $300,000 in 2026 (based on years of service) and will range from $340,000 to $380,000 by 2032.
The agreement also establishes a new rookie contract scale that significantly increases salaries for top draft picks, including the No. 1 overall pick in 2026 projected to earn $500,000.
All existing rookie-scale contracts will also be adjusted upward, delivering meaningful pay increases for players at every stage of their careers. The agreement also creates an expedited pathway to maximum-level contracts for players on rookie deals who earn MVP or All-WNBA First or Second Team honors. In addition, starting in 2027, players with seven or more years of service cannot be designated as Core Players.
The deal includes significant investments in the overall player experience, including enhanced standards for team facilities, expanded team staffing requirements, fully codified league-wide charter air travel, first-class travel accommodations, and significantly increased performance bonuses for individual award winners and playoff and Finals participants. It also includes substantial enhancements for retirees and retirement planning, with expanded team contributions to player 401(k) accounts, enhanced benefits for players with children or who are family planning, and recognition payments for WNBA veterans and retired players based on years of service.
The deal also includes an increased minimum roster size of 12 players plus two more roster spots for developmental players, and salary cap exceptions for injured or pregnant players. Fans will also experience more WNBA basketball through an increase of up to 50 games in 2027 and 2028, and up to 52 games in 2029 through 2032.
Key elements of the tentative agreement can be found <a href="http://pr.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2026/03/KEY-ELEMENTS-OF-THE-TENTATIVE-COLLECTIVE-BARGAINING-AGREEMENT-Final-.pdf">here.</a> 
# # #

wnba-wnbpa-tentative-cba-deal-2026

WNBA And WNBPA Reach Tentative Deal on Historic Collective Bargaining Agreement

Skylar Diggins, Arike Ogunbowale, and Jackie Young were foundational to Notre Dame&#8217;s sustained presence in the NCAA Women’s Final Four, with the trio combining for seven championship game appearances. Each player earned multiple All-American honors and were selected as top-five picks in their respective WNBA Drafts, with Diggins drafted No. 3 overall in 2013, and Young and Ogunbowale going No. 1 and No. 5 overall respectively in the 2019 WNBA Draft.
Their tenures were highlighted by Ogunbowale and Young leading the Irish to the 2018 NCAA Championship title. Take a look back at Diggins, Ogunbowale, and Young&#8217;s runs at Notre Dame.
<hr />
<h2>Skylar Diggins (2009–2013)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257643" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257643" class="wp-image-257643" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-155941194-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-155941194-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-155941194-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-155941194-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-155941194-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-155941194-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-155941194-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Skylar Diggins #4 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on against the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 9, 2012</div>
Skylar Diggins’ tenure at Notre Dame was highlighted by her consistent statistical output and back-to-back conference honors. From 2010 to 2013, she was a 4x AP All-American and a 4x All-Big East selection, while also being named the Big East Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013.
During her postseason career, Diggins led the Fighting Irish to three consecutive Final Four appearances and two national championship games. For her performances in those rounds, she was twice named to the NCAA All-Tournament team.
Collegiate performance spotlight:
2010 Round of 32: 31 PTS, 6 AST, 7 STL
2011 Final Four:  28 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST
2012 Elite Eight: 22 PTS, 10 REB, 11 AST
2013 Sweet 16: 27 PTS, 3 REB, 9 AST
<hr />
<h2>Arike Ogunbowale (2015–2019)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257644" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257644" class="wp-image-257644" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940812156-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="664" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940812156-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940812156-300x207.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940812156-1024x708.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940812156-768x531.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940812156-1536x1062.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940812156-2048x1416.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Arike Ogunbowale #24 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish cuts down the net after scoring the game winning basket to defeat the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs in the championship game of the 2018 NCAA Women&#8217;s National Championship</div>
Arike Ogunbowale’s collegiate career at Notre Dame included being named a 2x AP All-American and a 2x All-ACC selection. During her tenure, she led the program to back-to-back national championship game appearances in 2018 and 2019. For her performances across multiple deep postseason runs, she was also recognized as a 2x NCAA All-Tournament team member.
In 2018, Ogunbowale led the Fighting Irish to the NCAA Championship highlighted by a game-winner to capture the title, and was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
Collegiate performance spotlight:
2017 Sweet 16: 32 PTS, 9 REB, 4 3PM
2018 Round of 64:  30 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST
2018 Sweet 16: 27 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST
2019 Sweet 16: 34 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST
<hr />
<h2>Jackie Young (2016–2019)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257645" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257645" class="wp-image-257645" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940326782-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940326782-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940326782-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940326782-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940326782-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940326782-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-940326782-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Jackie Young #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates her teams lead late in the game</div>
Jackie Young’s run at Notre Dame was decorated by her versatile production across multiple categories. From 2017 to 2019, she was an AP All-American, a 2x All-ACC selection, and a member of the ACC All-Freshman Team.
In 2018, Young helped lead the program to the NCAA Championship, scoring 32 points in the Final Four matchup. During her final season in 2019, she was named the ACC Tournament MVP and became the first player in program history to record two triple-doubles in a single season before being selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft.
Collegiate performance spotlight:
2018 Round of 32: 24 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST
2018 Final Four:  32 PTS, 11 REB, 2 3PM
2019 Round of 32: 21 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST
2019 Elite Eight: 25 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST

collegiate-spotlight-notre-dame

Collegiate Spotlight: University of Notre Dame

cbs-sports-wnba-new-rights-agreement

CBS Sports Reaches New Long-Term Multiplatform Rights Agreement with the WNBA

att2

CarMax+Logo-White

DEL_PRI_ALL_WHT

google-logo-transparent

Nike-Logo-PNG

With WNBA League Pass, enjoy on-demand access to every game from the 2025 season, plus timeless classics from the archives.

CBS Sports Reaches New Long-Term Multiplatform Rights Agreement with the WNBA

Related News

WNBA Announces Broadcast and Streaming Schedule For League’s 25th Regular Season

WNBA Announces 2022 Broadcast and Streaming Schedule for CBS, NBA TV, Prime Video and Facebook Watch

VERSANT Announces Media Rights Agreement to Broadcast WNBA Games

WNBA Issues National Broadcast And Streaming Schedule For 2024 Regular Season