A’ja Wilson, Aces Agree to Reported Historic Supermax Contract, Updated Roster Amid WNBA Free Agency
One of the biggest pieces in WNBA free agency is off the board as four-time MVP A’ja Wilson agreed to terms on a new contract with the Las Vegas Aces.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Andraya Carter, Wilson’s deal is the largest in WNBA history.
“YKWTFGO,” Wilson said of her new deal in a statement on the team’s website.
Wilson has spent her entire eight-year career with Las Vegas, and the Aces winning their third title in four seasons made it all the more likely she’d stay in Sin City in 2026 and beyond.
Here’s a look at the Aces’ updated roster:
- Guard: Jackie Young, Jordan Obi, Dana Evans, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd
- Forward: Janiah Barker, Kierstan Bell, NaLyssa Smith, Stephanie Talbot, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus
- Center: A’ja Wilson, Brianna Turner
Pretty much every veteran in the WNBA timed their contracts to expire this winter ahead of a new collective bargaining agreement going into place. Since a fresh CBA would reflect the increase in league revenue, player salaries were destined to skyrocket.
Between that and so many stars being available at once, it was impossible to predict where the big stars would go. Past success didn’t count for as much, nor did the relative strength of each team’s roster in 2025.
In the case of Wilson, she knew she could command a max contract from every single franchise, and her decision could influence a score of other free agents landed.
This past year, the 29-year-old reaffirmed her status as the WNBA’s best player and maintained a trajectory to potentially become the greatest in league history.
While appearing in 40 games, Wilson averaged 23.4 points on 50.5 percent shooting along with 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.3 blocks. She was also the pivotal figure behind the Aces’ 16-game winning streak to close out the regular season.
During that stretch, the 6’4″ forward put up 26.1 points and 12 boards per contest, and she was a 59.3 percent shooter from beyond the arc. The last month is what propelled her to a record-setting fourth MVP.
Wilson naturally stepped up in the playoffs. She dropped 38 points in a closeout win over the Seattle Storm and then had 35 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks when Vegas eliminated the Indiana Fever in the semifinals.
Much like in the NBA, star power goes a long way in the WNBA. It’s tough to contend for a title without having a consensus top-five star on the roster.
Because the talent is distributed across even fewer teams in the W, though, having one MVP candidate isn’t necessarily enough, though. For as great as Wilson is, her triumphs in Las Vegas came with a supporting cast that included at various points Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, Candace Parker and Jewell Loyd.
The pendulum may start to shift a bit with the league rapidly expanding. The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo will tip off their inaugural seasons in 2026, while expansion franchises in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030) are on the way.
The arrival of the Golden State Valkyries already played a role in the New York Liberty failing to defend their WNBA crown. The Liberty left Kayla Thornton unprotected in the expansion draft, and her departure left a sizable void in New York’s frontcourt.
The Aces are at least keeping their star core together. Wilson’s deal comes after Las Vegas secured the returns of Young, Gray and Loyd.
Perhaps depth will become an issue the longer the season goes on and into the playoffs. For now, the champions’ title defense is progressing as well as they could’ve hoped.
