The WNBA is entering a historic new era, and for the first time ever, 31 players are set to earn $1 million or more in a single season. Among them is a familiar face for Iowa State fans: former Cyclone star Bridget Carleton.

This seismic shift in player compensation comes courtesy of the league's groundbreaking new collective bargaining agreement, signed in March. The impact is staggering: the team salary cap has skyrocketed from $1.5 million last season to $7 million in 2026, while the league minimum salary has jumped from $66,000 to $300,000. As a result, the average player salary has climbed from roughly $110,000 to approximately $600,000.

For context, the first NBA players to hit the $1 million mark were Moses Malone and Bill Walton back in the 1979-80 season—a figure that would be worth about $4.4 million today when adjusted for inflation.

Carleton's journey to this milestone is particularly noteworthy. Selected first overall in the WNBA expansion draft by the Portland Fire on April 3, she quickly signed a maximum three-year contract worth $3,748,500, according to Spotrac. That puts her projected 2026 earnings at $1,190,000—a massive leap from her $125,000 salary in 2025.

What makes Carleton's achievement even more impressive is the company she keeps. Her 2026 salary will match that of former WNBA MVPs Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. She's also one of just five players on the million-dollar list—alongside Kennedy Burke, Jessica Shepard, Temi Fágbénlé, and Marina Mabrey—who hadn't previously earned All-WNBA or All-Star honors before the 2026 season.

The new CBA doesn't stop there. It also overhauls the rookie contract scale, giving top draft picks and existing players a significant pay boost. For fans and players alike, this is more than just a pay raise—it's a statement that women's basketball has arrived as a premier professional league.