Jackie Young Just Became the WNBA's First Million Dollar Player and It's Not Even Close
Jackie Young is about to make history. The Las Vegas Aces All-Star guard and the team are reportedly close to agreeing on a one-year deal worth $1.19 million, making her the WNBA's first athlete to earn in excess of $1 million a year. Yeah, you read that right. One point one nine million. That's the maximum allowed for players not eligible for the league's top-tier max contract of $1.4 million, and it completely shatters the previous ceiling for women's basketball salaries.
This deal keeps Young, 28, locked up and off the free-agent market. For the Aces, that's massive. Young has been the engine running their dynamo offense. Last season, she averaged 16.5 points, 5.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while helping Las Vegas win their third WNBA championship in four years. That's not just solid production. That's championship-level impact night in and night out.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiWhy Young's Historic Contract Actually Matters
The 28-year-old is a four-time All-Star and two-time All-WNBA selection who was named the WNBA's Most Improved Player back in 2022. She was the number one overall pick by Vegas back in 2019 fresh out of Notre Dame, where she won a national championship in 2018. Beyond the WNBA, Young has also won Olympic gold medals with both the 3x3 team in Tokyo in 2020 and the 5-on-5 team in Paris in 2024. This is a generational talent getting paid like one, finally.
The Aces Aren't Done Spending
With Young presumably locked in for another run, the Aces are still working on retaining center A'ja Wilson, a four-time MVP and two-time Finals MVP who has indicated she wants to stay in Vegas. They're also pursuing guard Chelsea Gray, a six-time All-Star. If Las Vegas can keep this core together, another championship run is very much in play.
This deal represents a watershed moment for women's basketball salaries. Young getting paid at this level isn't just good for her. It signals that elite talent in the WNBA commands serious money now, and that matters for the entire league.
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