How WNBA Stars Are Playing the Long Game 💰⏳

First time here? Join our women’s basketball community for positive, meaningful updates about the game and its players. Sign up here!

What To Know About Women’s Basketball Today

1. WNBA Players Are Betting on Themselves with 1-Year Deals 💰

If this WNBA offseason feels different, you’re not imagining it. A wave of top free agents are signing only 1-year contracts, and it’s no coincidence. It’s all about positioning for a major payday in 2026.

The reason? The WNBA’s current collective bargaining agreement (CBA)—which controls salary caps and player pay—is set to expire on October 31, 2025. With expectations of a higher salary cap and bigger contracts due to the record-breaking media deal signed in 2024, many players are choosing short-term deals now so they can cash in when the new CBA kicks in. (Sports Illustrated)

WHY IT MATTERS: This means next year’s free agency will be absolute chaos. More superstars could be on the move, and teams will look completely different in 2026. Expect a frenzied offseason after the 2025 season, with players securing what could be the biggest WNBA contracts in history.

2. Aneesah Morrow Climbs the All-Time Rebounding List 📈

LSU’s Aneesah Morrow just etched her name deeper into the record books. With her 1,571st career rebound in a win over Missouri, she passed LSU legend Sylvia Fowles to move into sixth place all-time in Division I women’s basketball career rebounds. Morrow finished the game with 14 boards, bringing her total to 1,584 and counting. (Lafayette Daily Advertiser)

WHY IT MATTERS: We’re witnessing one of the greatest rebounders in NCAA history, and she’s doing it at just 6’1”. Her relentless motor, basketball IQ, and physical toughness set her apart. As LSU coach Kim Mulkey put it: “She never tires. She’s tough as nails.”

3. Golden State Valkyries Land First Major Free Agent with Tiffany Hayes Signing ✍️

The Golden State Valkyries have secured their first major free agent, signing reigning WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Tiffany Hayes to a one-year, $200,000 deal.

The biggest surprise? She left the Las Vegas Aces—despite being protected in the expansion draft—to reunite with her former assistant coach, Natalie Nakase, now head coach of the Valkyries. (Associated Press)

WHY IT MATTERS: For expansion teams, landing top-tier free agents is no easy task. Snagging a veteran guard like Hayes from the Aces gives the Valkyries a much-needed trusty hand as they build their inaugural roster.