A’ja Wilson, the most decorated player in WNBA history, has once again made headlines—this time for her wallet as much as her on-court dominance. On April 15, 2026, Wilson agreed to a groundbreaking three-year, $5 million supermax contract to remain with the Las Vegas Aces, the franchise she has led to unprecedented heights over the past eight years. The deal, fully guaranteed and negotiated by Jade-Li English of Klutch Sports Group, instantly became the largest in WNBA history, a testament not only to Wilson’s singular talent but also to the league’s new era of player empowerment and rising salaries.
Wilson’s signature on the dotted line was hardly a surprise to anyone following the Aces or the WNBA at large. After all, she had made her intentions clear at last week’s USA Basketball national team training camp, stating, “I'm not looking. I know exactly where I am. I know I love Vegas. I'm not leaving Vegas, so I'm not looking anywhere.” The 29-year-old forward, who has played her entire professional career in Las Vegas since being drafted first overall in 2018, doubled down on her commitment: “I'm looking to win another one. I'm looking to defend a championship that we have in Las Vegas. I'm looking to get better as a leader, as a player. Everything else just kind of falls in line.”
Her loyalty is well-rewarded. The new collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and its players’ association has raised the supermax contract from $250,000 to $1.4 million per year, with Wilson’s salary set to increase over the next two seasons thanks to a revenue share model that grants her 20% of the team’s salary cap. Should the cap rise at its maximum allowed pace, Wilson’s total compensation could even exceed $4.7 million over three years. Notably, while Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell also signed a supermax contract at $1.4 million for 2026, Wilson is the only player to secure a multi-year supermax deal, further underlining her status as the league’s most valuable asset.
Wilson’s new contract aligns her with fellow Aces stars Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd, both of whom are locked in through 2028, creating a formidable core for Las Vegas. Jackie Young, another key contributor, signed a regular max deal, and together, these team-friendly contracts allowed the Aces to offer Wilson the richest deal possible while retaining 90% of their 2025 championship team’s scoring (75.5 of 83.6 points per game). The franchise also added depth by signing Chennedy Carter to a training camp contract on the same day Wilson’s deal was announced. Carter, drafted fourth overall in 2020, brings career averages of 14.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists across 84 WNBA games and last played for the Chicago Sky in 2024, where she averaged 17.4 points and 3.4 assists.
There’s little doubt that Wilson’s contract is well-earned. Her 2025 season was nothing short of historic: she became the first player in WNBA or NBA history to win the scoring title, league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP all in the same season. Her stat line was staggering—23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game, while shooting an efficient 50.5% from the field. It was the second consecutive year she averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal—something no other WNBA player has done even once while playing at least 15 games.
Wilson’s accolades stack up like few others in sports. She is a four-time league MVP (2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025), three-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time Finals MVP, seven-time All-Star, five-time All-WNBA First Team selection, and a four-time member of the All-Defensive First Team. She’s also been named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and has led the WNBA in both scoring and blocks multiple times. Her career averages of 21.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game, along with a 49.8% field goal percentage, put her in a league of her own.
Wilson’s impact goes beyond the WNBA. She starred at South Carolina under coach Dawn Staley, leading the Gamecocks to the 2017 NCAA national championship. Internationally, she’s a two-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA, winning in both Tokyo (2021) and Paris (2024), and has two FIBA World Cup titles to her name. Her leadership and star power have made her the face of women’s basketball, both in the United States and abroad.
Las Vegas’s recent run of dominance owes everything to Wilson’s presence and performance. Since her arrival in 2018, the Aces have captured three WNBA championships (2022, 2023, and 2025) and reached the Finals on four occasions. The 2025 campaign was especially dramatic: after a middling .500 record at the All-Star break, the Aces rattled off a remarkable 16-game winning streak to close out the regular season and powered through the playoffs to secure their third title in four years. Wilson’s leadership and on-court heroics were central to that run, as she delivered clutch performances and set the tone for her teammates.
Team president and general manager Nikki Fargas was effusive in her praise, stating, “A’ja is truly one of one, who has led this franchise to where it is today. Not only has she catapulted into the history books and surpassed almost every record in existence, but she does so with the utmost confidence, authenticity and grace. We look forward to continuing to see her thrive in an Aces uniform.”
For Wilson, the focus now shifts to the future. With her contract secure and the Aces’ core intact, the franchise is well-positioned to chase even more history. Wilson herself is not resting on her laurels, emphasizing her desire to “get better as a leader, as a player,” and to bring another championship to Las Vegas. The Aces’ front office, meanwhile, has shown a deft touch in roster management, balancing megastar contracts with depth signings and keeping the team’s competitive window wide open.
As the 2026 WNBA season approaches, all eyes will be on Las Vegas and its record-setting superstar. Wilson’s deal is a watershed moment for the league, signaling that women’s basketball is entering a new era where its brightest stars are finally being compensated at levels commensurate with their impact. With Wilson leading the charge, the Aces are poised to remain the team to beat—and Wilson herself, already a legend, has plenty of chapters left to write in her storied career.