$15 million disparity between Paige Bueckers and Cooper Flagg ignites bold claim from Jrue Holiday’s wife Lauren

Although the WNBA is experiencing an increase in popularity, the pay gap between its top players, like Paige Bueckers, and those in the NBA continues to grow. This disparity is highlighted by the contract details of the top picks from each league's 2025 draft — Bueckers and Cooper Flagg.

Jrue Holiday’s wife, Lauren Holiday, reshared Boardroom’s post that highlighted the $15 million/year difference in pay between Bueckers and Flagg. A huge advocate for gender equality, Lauren made a bold promise.

“Change is coming,” she captioned her IG Story.

Credits: Instagram (@laurenholiday12)

As the potential No. 1 of the upcoming draft, Flagg is set to sign a four-year, $62.7 million rookie deal, while Bueckers’ four-year rookie deal is worth $348,000 – a figure Flagg is set to eclipse in two games.

To give another perspective, Flagg is set to earn 177 times the amount Bueckers will make during the course of their respective contract durations.

Lauren, a former member of the USWNT, has spent significant time fighting for social justice. While it's unclear how she aims to bridge this gap, her efforts in advancing gender equality have been recognized by athletes around the globe.

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Paige Bueckers’s Unrivaled contract eclipses her WNBA contract

Earlier in April, Paige Bueckers signed a three-year deal with Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier’s Unrivaled. Bueckers also announced her investment in the 3x3 basketball league shortly after.

"I mean, investments in women's sports -- I feel like the return on investment has been amazing. Even the first year [of Unrivaled], the numbers were shocking. They just blew it out of the water. And just to invest so much in women's sports, it's growing at an all-time high, and it's just a great time to be in women's sports,” Bueckers said via ESPN.

According to reports, the star guard will make more money in one season of Unrivaled than the entire duration of her WNBA contract - $348,000.

Bueckers will shift all her focus to the upcoming season of the WNBA. Coming off an NCAA title win, averaging 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists during her senior year, there will be immense pressure on her during her rookie campaign.

Many expect the Paige Bueckers-Arike Ogunbowale pair to form one of the most formidable backcourt duos in the league, potentially taking the Wings back to the postseason after a one-year hiatus.