With the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement now settled, Las Vegas Aces star Jackie Young has reportedly agreed to the first seven-figure contract in league history.
The one-year, $1.19 million deal was first reported by ESPN. The Daily Mail has reached out to Aces spokespeople for confirmation.
Young, a 28-year-old Notre Dame product, is considered one of the best two-way guards in the league and was expected to be among the most coveted players on the free-agent market.
Now the defending-champion Aces appear to be keeping their ‘big three’ of Young, six-time All-Star Chelsea Gray and four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, who has already declared her intention to return to Las Vegas rather than signing elsewhere in free agency.
Young has become a four-time All-Star and two-time All-WNBA selection since being taken with the first pick of the 2019 draft. Along the way, she’s helped win three league titles while averaging 16.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds a game for her career.
She’s also a two-time Olympic gold medalist (both 5×5 and 3×3), and previously won a national championship at Notre Dame.
Caitlin Clark is defended by her Olympic teammate and Las Vegas Aces star Jackie Young
Clark and Young toss out balls to the crowd in Indianapolis before the 2025 All-Star game
Many would have assumed Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark would be the league’s first $1 million player, but the former Iowa guard is still on her rookie contract and won’t be able to sign a major extension until 2027.
Incredibly, Clark was earning just $85,000 a year for her first two seasons in the WNBA, gathering the majority of her wealth from sponsorship deals and other endeavors away from the basketball court.
All that is changing now, with base salaries skyrocketing not just for the current crop of WNBA stars, but also every new player joining the league – with the 2026 Draft happening in New York later this month.
Clark will now earn a new salary of $528k in 2026, a remarkable 521-percent pay increase from her 2025 wage.
The league and its players ratified a landmark seven-year labor deal last month, which will allow for the season to begin on schedule in May.
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Young (seen her with Clark in December) has two gold medals in both 5×5 and 3×3 hoops
‘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,’ WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.
‘We remain focused on building on the unprecedented momentum around the league and preparing for our milestone 30th season, tipping off in May.’
The deal promises to increase player salaries, with top stars earning as much as $1.4 million per year, a source told The Associated Press.
‘The deal is going to be transformational,’ union vice president Breanna Stewart said. ‘It’s going to build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve and more from on the court and off the court aspects.’
