South Carolina produced another piece of WNBA history this week, as two former Gamecocks broke the record for the richest contract in league history within the span of just two days.
A’ja Wilson set the benchmark on Wednesday, signing a three-year supermax deal worth 20% of the WNBA salary cap annually, with $5 million guaranteed — making it the most valuable contract the league had ever seen at the time of signing.
That record stood for just 48 hours.
On Friday, Aliyah Boston and the Indiana Fever agreed to a four-year contract extension valued at $6.3 million, surpassing Wilson’s deal and rewriting the record books once again.
Boston’s Historic Extension
Boston has been selected to the All-Star Game in each of her three professional seasons. Last year she averaged 15.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals, guiding an injury-depleted Indiana squad to the WNBA playoff semifinals, where they pushed the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces to a seventh game.
Her new deal was made possible by a groundbreaking provision introduced in the league’s current collective bargaining agreement — the Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract clause, known as the EPIC provision. The mechanism is designed to compensate young players who have significantly outperformed their rookie-scale contracts by allowing them to renegotiate the fourth year of that deal. Eligibility requires a player to still be on her rookie contract while having earned All-WNBA First or Second Team honors, or the MVP award, within her first three seasons. Boston’s second-team All-WNBA selection last season made her eligible.
Under the previous CBA, Boston would have earned $78,000 in the fourth year of her rookie deal. Under the new rookie scale, that figure jumped to $574,612 — and the EPIC extension pushed it considerably further.
Notably, Boston agreed to accept $1 million this season rather than the $1.19 million she was entitled to, choosing to give Indiana financial flexibility to build around her. Beginning next season, she will earn 20% of the salary cap annually, matching Wilson’s rate.
Wilson’s Deal in Context
Wilson, the only four-time WNBA Most Valuable Player in league history, signed as a veteran free agent — a different contract category from the EPIC extension Boston utilized. She averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.6 steals last season while leading Las Vegas to its third championship in four years. Her supermax offer had been anticipated since the current CBA was ratified, with the primary question being whether she would choose a fixed salary or a percentage of the cap — the latter being a new option introduced under the new agreement.
Statements from Indiana
Indiana Fever general manager Amber Cox released a statement celebrating the signing:
“Entering just her fourth season, Aliyah is already one of the best players in the WNBA. She’s been a foundational piece of the Indiana Fever since she was drafted here in 2023. We’re thrilled to be able to reward her with this new contract and make history, and most importantly, lock her in as a cornerstone of the Fever for years to come. Despite already being an All-WNBA caliber player, Aliyah has just scratched the surface in terms of the player she can become. In addition, her intangibles are unmatched. She is a leader, a connector, and consistent contributor to our community. There is not a better person to go down in history as the first recipient of this type of groundbreaking agreement.”
Boston also shared her reaction:
“I’m super blessed and grateful for this opportunity and to continue my journey here with the Fever. God is good! I’m excited for the future ahead for both myself and for our team, and I can’t wait to keep building upon everything we have accomplished so far. Go Fever!”
