Before the ink is even dry on the WNBA’s landmark new collective bargaining agreement, one of the league’s biggest stars – A’ja Wilson – is already at the center of its first major ripple.

Just 15 hours after the WNBA and WNBPA reached a historic agreement in principle following eight days of marathon negotiations in New York, Wilson’s future has come sharply into focus, and her next move says everything about where the league is headed.

According to reports, the 6-foot-4 star is expected to re-sign with the Las Vegas Aces on a historic $1.4 million supermax deal. This makes her one of the first players in the league to fully benefit from the long-fought salary transformation. And for a player widely regarded as the face of the WNBA, the timing couldn’t be more symbolic.

A’ja Wilson, a four-time MVP and three-time champion, has long been underpaid relative to her dominance.

As recently as the 2025 season, her $200,000 salary didn’t even place her among the league’s top 25 earners. However, now, under the new structure, she is ready to become exactly what many believe she should have been all along – a million-dollar cornerstone. The new CBA raises the league’s salary cap to $7 million, finally allowing stars like Wilson to earn what they’re worth.

But this isn’t a bidding war story.

Wilson entered the offseason as a free agent, but from the start, her intentions have been clear.

She’s not just re-signing with the team; she’s anchoring the Aces at a moment when the WNBA itself is finally catching up to her value.

“I think everyone knows where my heart is. And my heart’s always going to be in Vegas,” Wilson said last year. “So if I leave here, it’s because they sent me away. Know that. Because I love it. This is my second home, and I don’t see myself leaving.”

After years of team-friendly contracts that helped build a championship core, Wilson now gets a deal that reflects her dominance – a supermax that cements her as one of the first million-dollar players in league history, while keeping her in the city she calls home.

Who’s Next After A’ja Wilson? The WNBA Stars Eyeing Seven-Figure Supermax Deals

When Wilson re-signs with the Las Vegas Aces during free agency on April 12, she will lead the way into a new era of WNBA salaries.

With the league’s landmark CBA now in place, the ‘Supermax’ deal jumps from $249,000 to $1.4 million in 2026, and Wilson sits firmly at the front of the pack. This offseason, nearly 80% of WNBA players will enter free agency, and over 70 of them will test the new salary landscape.

Teams face season-defining decisions, where they have to decide which veterans to core, which restricted free agents to pursue, and how to allocate their salary cap most effectively. Wilson’s resume makes her untouchable, but other stars will follow closely behind.

Napheesa Collier, Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum, and Kelsey Mitchell are among the frontrunners for a Supermax, each with standout 2025 seasons and the kind of impact that could justify a million-dollar payday.

The allure of a seven-figure contract will likely push players who previously accepted home-team discounts to explore new opportunities, creating a frenzy across the league when free agency officially opens.

While there is a very good chance that by opening night on May 8, rosters could look drastically different from today. 2026 isn’t just a new season; it’s a professional recalibration of player value, and A’ja Wilson headlines it all, showing what the league’s stars can now achieve.