"Can't come close": ESPN’s Michael Wilbon compares Iowa star Caitlin Clark's $818,000 NIL earnings to her potential WNBA salary

Caitlin Clark is killing the endorsement game in college with Gatorade, Nike and others padding her pockets. But ESPN's Michael Wilbon said that even with Clark's star power, WNBA salary constraints mean she'd net just fractions as a pro compared to her NIL payouts.

“Clark’s NIL deals with Nike, Gatorade and State Farm among others are being estimated at $818,000, which is more than 10 times what Clark’s salary — not counting endorsements — her salary would be in the WNBA next season if she went there,” ESPN's Tony Kornheiser said on Monday's "Pardon the Interruption."

Wilbon agreed.

“It’s a good thing the NIL — controversial as it is — those NIL deals provide that money to Caitlin Clark and so many others. Because the WNBA in this specific case can’t come close to that,” Wilbon said. “And it’s going to be interesting to see how that evolves, both the league and what it can pay versus NIL deals and what those can pay.”

Though Clark's bank account may feel lighter in the WNBA, her star power could earn hefty endorsements to cushion the blow. Even with leaner pro paychecks, her marketing appeal may continue raining cash like her college days.

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Caitlin Clark named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list

Iowa star Caitlin Clark seeks third-straight Lieberman Award.

Caitlin Clark is gunning to join elite company with a third straight Nancy Lieberman Award as she was named to the watch list. A three-peat will cement her place among the pantheon of legendary college floor generals.

The Nancy Lieberman Award is one of the most prestigious positional honors in basketball. Named for the Basketball Hall of Famer, it goes to the nation's top point guard who best displays Lieberman's leadership, playmaking and ballhandling skills.

Past winners comprise a who's who of legends like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Courtney Vandersloot and Sabrina Ionescu. Bird holds the record with three straight awards from 2000-2002.

Over the last two seasons, Clark has ripped through the record books to claim back-to-back honors. Now the front-runner for the 2023 Lieberman Award, she's out to match Bird's three-peat and cement her legacy.

Clark has been nothing short of spectacular, propelling No. 5 Iowa (18-2) with Division I's top scoring average at 31.7 points per game. She also ranks second nationally with 7.7 assists per contest, making her the game's most unstoppable offensive force.