Arike Ogunbowale took discount on contract even with new CBA. Here's why.
Arike Ogunbowale was eligible for the WNBA supermax salary but said it was a "no-brainer" to take a discount on her contract extension with Dallas.
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. 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. "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.