Seattle Storm star and WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike signed with Project B, becoming the first player to join the new global basketball league. The league announced the signing, with multiple sources telling Front Office Sports that other WNBA players have already signed deals worth up to $2 million per year.
Project B, founded by former Facebook executive Grady Burnett and Skype co-founder Geoff Prentice, will host tournaments in Asia, Europe and Latin America from November 2026 through April 2027. The league officially announced its plans in October and will consist of six teams of 11 players competing in 5-on-5 competitions.
Several stars are being offered seven-figure salaries starting at $2 million a year, sources said. Players also receive equity stakes in the league, similar to Unrivaled’s compensation structure. The WNBA’s current supermax salary is $249,244, with an October proposal that includes a supermax closer to $850,000.
The timing of Ogwumike’s announcement immediately caught the attention of WNBA executives, who saw it as leverage in the ongoing CBA negotiations. The WNBA and the union entered into a 30-day extension last week, setting November 30 as the new deadline. The league declined to comment on the potential impact of Project B.
Project B’s season is in direct conflict with the WNBA’s unmatched and European offseason competitions. Nearly 30 unmatched players have multi-year contracts with exclusivity clauses during their playing months, potentially complicating Project B signings.
“We are confident in what we have built working with our athletes, partners and investors,” peerless President Alex Bazzell said in a statement. “We remain consistent in our approach to paying players competitively, providing meaningful ownership in the business and keeping them at home year-round.”
Project B’s investor group includes WNBA champions Candace Parker, Alana Beard and Lauren Jackson, plus tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Sloane Stephens. Beard serves as the league’s Chief Basketball Officer.
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