The first dominos have fallen in WNBA free agency.
Nneka Ogwumike announced Friday that she is returning to the Los Angeles Sparks, the team she led to a title in 2016, after spending the last two seasons in Seattle. It appeared as though Ogwumike, 35, was exploring other options after the BalloonGate scandal surfaced Wednesday. She confirmed Thursday on social media that she was leaving Seattle.
The financial details are not yet clear, but it would be a surprise if the 10-time All-Star and president of the WNBPA does not receive a $1.19 million max deal.
Earlier this week, Jackie Young became the first WNBA player to receive a seven-figure annual salary.
Young agreed to a one-year contract to return to the defending champion Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
The four-time All-Star will return to the Aces alongside Chelsea Grey, who received the core designation, and A’ja Wilson, who said last week that she will return to Las Vegas. The trio have led the Aces to three titles in the last four years.
Jewell Loyd, the other Aces co-star who joined last year, agreed a three-year deal with the Aces, according to ESPN.
There are bigger contracts coming as several players will be eligible for the larger, $1.4 million supermax deal. These contacts are worth 20% of the salary cap, up from 16.5% in the previous CBA.
Players with at least five years of service who have been selected to an All-WNBA team, won MVP, or Defensive Player of the Year are eligible for a supermax deal. Wilson is expected to receive a supermax from the Aces, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Players under the core designation will be eligible for a one-year supermax. These include the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu and expansion draftees Bridget Carleton (Portland Fire) and Marina Mabrey (Toronto Tempo).
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell was the first core player to sign a one-year, supermax deal. Speaking on NBC’s NBA pregame show late last month, Fever star Caitlin Clark called it the Fever’s “first priority” to re-sign Mitchell.
“She’s kind of my running mate in the backcourt,” Clark said.
Teams are not required to offer core designated players the supermax deal, and Mabrey agreed to a two-year deal at the regular max, according to ESPN. All-Star Brittney Sykes also signed with the Tempo on a two-year max deal.
Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale was eligible for a one-year supermax deal after receiving the core designation, but agreed to a two-year deal for less than the supermax, according to ESPN.
More players may be on the move as the official free agency signing period starts Saturday.
Three-time All-Star Satou Sabally will not return to the Phoenix Mercury, but she is in the process of meeting with several teams. But six-time All-Star Alyssa Thomas will return to Phoenix, according to ESPN.
Skylar Diggins, Ogwumike’s former teammate in Seattle, may also be on the move as the Storm look to the future with 2025 No. 2 pick Dominique Malonga.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
