Napheesa Collier’s $1.1 Million Plea for WNBA Players Hits a Major Roadblock

Another roadblock has arisen in the WNBA players’ fight for more compensation against league officials. On Thursday, Nov. 20, @yahoosports on Instagram reported that the WNBA Players’ Association is not satisfied with the $1.1 million maximum salary clause that star players of each team can receive.

This stems from an $850k increase from the long-standing $250k salary that the top players of each franchise get. It is also said that the proposal was for more than one player in each squad. Nevertheless, it seems that the fight for more compensation by the WNBA Players’ Association, led by Napheesa Collier, will continue.

“REPORT: The WNBA Player’s Association doesn’t see the league proposal of $1.1 million max salary as moving negotiations forward, per Alexa Philippou. According to the AP, the WNBA had proposed a max salary increase from $250K to more than $1.1 million, and will be available to more than one player per team,” @yahoosports on Instagram captioned.

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The movement for WNBA players to receive more compensation gained momentum after Minnesota Lynx guard Napheesa Collier’s controversial exit interview in the 2025 season. In the interview, held during a post-game press conference, Collier infamously called out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for allegedly making statements that are detrimental to the league in terms of player compensation and welfare.

Since then, a back-and-forth has been ongoing between Collier, along with players who directly support her, and Engelbert with league officials. Collier, in that interview, was coming off getting eliminated in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs by the Phoenix Mercury. The Mercury went on to lose to the Las Vegas Aces in the finals with a 4-0 sweep.

Also Read: “Either Pay Them or No Play”: Fans Enraged As Napheesa Collier-Led WNBA Players’ Plea Gets Another Setback

The WNBA’s Current Proposal Is To Have A Minimum Salary of $220,000 Starting In 2026

According to the latest report by ESPN, in addition to the $1.1 million salary, the WNBA has proposed to the Players’ Association that a minimum salary of $220,000 be imposed on every player starting in the 2026 season.

This also coincides with a proposed league average salary of $460,000. There is no word yet on whether this will be accepted, but players will have to decide by Nov. 30.

Read More: Angel Reese, Tyrese Haliburton, Mark Cuban And More Extend Support to Napheesa Collier After Slamming WNBA Commissioner

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