ARLINGTON, TX — Entering her eighth WNBA season, all played for the Dallas Wings, Arike Ogunbowale knows that transformation sometimes requires sacrifice.
So when Ogunbowale signed a multi-year, seven-figure contract extension to return to Dallas this offseason, she also willingly left some money on the table.
Advertisement
Although Ogunbowale was eligible to receive the WNBA’s full $1.4 million supermax salary in 2026, the guard intentionally took less than that figure to give the Wings more financial flexibility to build their roster under the salary cap.
Her decision allowed the Wings to sign free agent forwards Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard, who figure to be part of the starting lineup alongside Ogunbowale, Paige Bueckers and this year’s No. 1 draft pick, Azzi Fudd.
More: Paige Bueckers draws clear line about relationship with Azzi Fudd
Speaking after preseason practice on Tuesday, May 5, Ogunbowale said it was an easy call.
Advertisement
“God has blessed me with a good amount of money outside the court that I knew that in order to win here, you have to take less,” Ogunbowale said. “All the greats have done it, all the great players. Vegas wouldn’t be where they are if people didn’t take less. New York has had to do the same and we haven’t even touched that. So it was a no-brainer for me to be able to do that to get great players like Lan. I was able to play with her at Unrivaled and I love playing with her. I played with Jess for two years in college. So to be able to get them, it was definitely worth it and I’m excited for what we can do here and glad everybody’s getting paid.”
Ogunbowale was dealing with an ankle injury and did not play in either of the Wings’ two preseason games, but she practiced with the team on Tuesday and said she expects to play in Dallas’ regular-season opener on Saturday, May 9 at the Indiana Fever.
The WNBA’s groundbreaking new CBA negotiated in March has led to massive player salary increases across the league. Ogunbowale, Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young, Aces forward A’ja Wilson and Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston are among players who signed contracts worth $1 million or more this offseason.
“It’s amazing. I know it’s deserved and it’s just going be great, every year it’s just going to keep going up,” Ogunbowale said. “My future kids (are) hopefully going to be making like ($20 million) by the time they get to this level. But it’s definitely a blessing to be a part of the change and I think I’m right in the middle where I saw the end of the old WNBA and now I’m seeing the new WNBA, and it’s just a blessing that I’m right now playing in this time and being able to reap the benfits of everybody who paved the way.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arike Ogunbowale explains why she took lower WNBA salary
