Celebratory glasses of champagne were handed out inside the Langham Hotel in midtown Manhattan when the WNBA and its workforce agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement in March that would send players into a new tax bracket.
But that wasn't the end of the celebration. As the season began, and players received their first paychecks with an average increase in pay of 366%, there were plenty of reasons to rejoice.
Courtney Williams celebrated by sharing her newfound wealth -- a 561.1% increase in her annual salary -- in her own way.
"I went to the strip club and blew a bag," Williams told ESPN with a smile. "No, I'm being dead serious. Like, that particular strip club will never see me for the rest of my life. Like, I did too much in there.
"Man, they probably know me by my name."
This season, the league embarked on a new era, with a groundbreaking CBA that increased salaries, benefits and league-wide standards. The majority of players capitalized with new contracts in free agency, and even those on rookie deals saw their salaries increase. After well more than a year of negotiations, a period that included the threat of a work stoppage, players could breathe a sigh of relief -- and maybe treat themselves a bit.
For Williams, that meant a night out in Phoenix, one the Minnesota Lynx guard retold with her signature side-eye smirk -- and she also reaped the benefits of her former teammate and close friend Natisha Hiedeman's new contract.
Williams and Hiedeman became household names as the "StudBudz" streaming duo; they were recently featured in Forbes for turning their viral All-Star weekend stream into a "seven-figure brand business."
But when it came to WNBA salaries, Williams was paid $180,000 for the 2025 season. Then she signed a two-year, $2.44 million deal that pays $1.19 million in 2026. Hiedeman saw a 455.6% increase from 2025 to 2026.
After Hiedeman signed her two-year, $1.525 million deal with the Seattle Storm, she bought Williams, a huge anime fan, a special birthday gift: a custom, 7-foot-tall statue of Goku from the show "Dragon Ball." The creation was so big that they couldn't get it through the front door.
"I ain't gonna lie, I spent a little bit on that," Hiedeman said. "They had to make it, ship it, do everything.
"She been saying she wanted one ... and she's putting her little crib together. But we said we're done buying each other expensive gifts now. So, that was her last gift from me."
Hiedeman also had to do something for herself. Saving and investing was a priority, "but, you know, a little splurge every once in a while." She connected with Lords of Luxury near Seattle to create a jewel-laden medallion of her "NH" logo and a chain to go with it. The gleaming piece in the middle of her chest is nearly the size of a fist.
"It's kind of 3D, so they really helped me design [it]," Hiedeman said. "I just gave them the idea and they helped with everything. So, I ain't gonna lie, it turned out better than I thought, for sure."
The StudBudz are certainly in the conversation for having the most fun with their splurges, but they aren't alone.
Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen's present to herself recently arrived in D.C., shipped from Los Angeles. She had been waiting on her black Porsche Cayenne coupe with peanut butter-colored interior. The 2025 No. 4 pick, two-time All-Star and fashion maven had to have the cheetah-print steering wheel to complete the look.
"I definitely saved a lot of my money, invested a lot of money," Iriafen said. "I finally did my 401[k] this year. I did not do that last year, so I was really proud of myself for doing that.
"But I just bought myself a car."
Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull said she bought herself a new Tesla, and Las Vegas Aces forward Kierstan Bell has been looking at the luxury Genesis brand -- but also has a hankering for an oversized truck.
Rhyne Howard, who is a four-time All-Star for the Atlanta Dream, just walked into the store after the newest collection of Louis Vuitton bags hit shelves, and it felt like they were meant for each other. She settled on a beige and green crossbody bag that features a pouch in the front and a little coin purse. She couldn't pass on the Louis Vuitton perfume to match.
"I had to get it," Howard said.
"I'm also somebody who doesn't believe in just holding on to your cash ... you might as well enjoy it. And I think that the players deserve to use some of it to enjoy, but then also can still build for the future." Nneka Ogwumike on her philosophy of whether to spend, save or invest
Now, it hasn't all been fun and games; most players said they were saving or investing in one way or another, even if they allowed themselves a special purchase.
Toronto Tempo guard Marina Mabrey said she has been looking at investment properties in areas that will develop. Fever guard Sophie Cunningham purchased a VRBO in Arizona. The online marketplace allows owners of vacation properties to rent them short term. She provides the funds and hires a company to run them.
"I'm about to probably buy one in Nashville and Florida, and so I'm just starting to make a business outside of the court," Cunningham said. "It's good, it's fun. I'm trying to buy places that I want to go visit, so when I'm there, I don't have to pay for it.
"I think it's a long time coming, but now you have to be smart with that money. You can't just go out and blow it all or not invest. I think it allows all of us to kind of grow and be businesswomen."
These financial conversations were taking place in 2024, before the players opted out of the previous CBA, union president Nneka Ogwumike said. They knew things would change significantly, and leadership wanted everyone to be prepared.
In mid-April, the union agreed to a multiyear partnership with JP Morgan Chase Bank that includes year-round financial education and access to consultants to assist with financial planning. Many players already had their own financial planning resources, but this program comes through an association with the union.
The range of those conversations and resources can be as simple as providing knowledge and support about their 401(k) and understanding credit scores. They can also be as in-depth as identifying specific investments and building businesses. For a group of players that range in age from early 20s to those approaching their 40s, it's not a one-size-fits-all scenario.
"The way that we've approached it is less, 'Here's just the baseline of what you need to know,' and more of, 'This is all personal to you,'" said Kate Schoff, head of sports & entertainment marketing at JP Morgan Chase. "That understanding [of finances] is going to look different to everyone based on where they are. It helps just create a person that feels more confident, more aware of what they're doing, and ultimately allows them to focus on their playing careers if they're in that moment, or the business they're building because they know that they have that resource behind them."
Ogwumike, who announced Wednesday that she will retire from the WNBA at the end of the season, wants players to look toward the future while still enjoying the moment. As union president, she worked as hard as anyone during these negotiations and, for that, she rewarded herself with a hyperbaric chamber, which allows for the inhalation of higher concentrations of oxygen in a pressurized environment that can help with recovery and performance.
"I'm also somebody who doesn't believe in just holding on to your cash," Ogwumike said. "I think that an aspect to having money is that you can't take it when you're gone, so you might as well enjoy it. And I think that the players deserve to use some of it to enjoy, but then also can still build for the future."
Across the W, players seem intent on doing both. Tempo guard Brittney Sykes invested on items to help with career longevity, but didn't want to reveal her secrets. Plus, she said, "All my money's going to Uncle Sam!" Mystics center Shakira Austin is considering a personal chef. Former MVPs Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones purchased new watches, but declined to give details.
Storm center Stefanie Dolson is expecting an engagement later this year and is saving for a wedding, and New York Liberty guard Rebecca Allen wants to renovate her bathroom. An avid golfer, Dream guard Allisha Gray said she's playing more rounds at nicer courses.
"I'd like to keep my money," Dolson said. "I don't like to spend it on silly things."
Gray admitted, "I'm cheap."