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WNBA Free Agency Opens With Ogwumike Returning To Sparks, Aces Re-Sign Jackie Young

09 April, 2026.Sports.5 sources

Key Takeaways

New CBA ratified, enabling a compressed offseason with expansion draft, free agency, and the draft.
Free agency window opened in early April; teams could sign by mid-April.
The 30th WNBA season tips off May 8.

WNBA Free Agency Unfolds

The 2026 WNBA free agency period opened amid a flurry of activity following the ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement.

“After months of negotiations, culminating in a week of marathon bargaining sessions last month, the WNBA and the players' association verbally agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement on March 18”

ESPN

Nneka Ogwumike announced she would not return to Seattle and was set to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks.

ESPN

The Las Vegas Aces were finalizing a deal to re-sign Jackie Young on a one-year max contract worth $1.19 million.

The Dallas Wings traded Diamond Miller to the Connecticut Sun for Rayah Marshall.

Satou Sabally confirmed she would not return to Phoenix after helping lead the Mercury to the 2025 Finals.

Ten of 15 teams had extended core qualifying offers to players including Allisha Gray, Ariel Atkins, Arike Ogunbowale, Kelsey Plum, Napheesa Collier, Sabrina Ionescu, Bridget Carleton, Ezi Magbegor, and Marina Mabrey.

Core Designations and Trades

The WNBA's core player designation played a central role in shaping the offseason.

The Sparks cored Kelsey Plum, and the Sky were exploring a sign-and-trade involving Ariel Atkins.

SB Nation

The Chicago Sky traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream for first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028.

The core designation comes with a fully guaranteed one-year deal worth the supermax.

This mechanism can prevent a player from walking in free agency without compensation.

Brand Exposure and Audit Criticism

Rahman Textile produced clothing for European brands including Hessen and BrandBox.

“Armed with a new CBA -- forged by weeks of negotiating and years of labor organizing -- the WNBA is set to be filled with fireworks when free agency kicks off in earnest on April 9”

Sporting News

Both companies said they were deeply saddened and would review their Bangladesh operations.

Hessen's compliance team had audited the factory in March.

Rahman Textile owner Faisal Rahman claimed the factory had passed its most recent safety inspection in January.

Clean Clothes Campaign said the audit system was fundamentally broken.

The Dhaka Tribune reported that Rahman was being questioned about welded shut exits.