How does NIL work in WNBA? Examining differences from college after Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles' Draft decisions

WNBA draft prospects Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles made shocking decisions in their women’s basketball careers, forgoing the pro league draft to exhaust their eligibility years in college. The two players’ decisions were said to have stemmed from the earning disparity between the NIL they are getting in college and their potential financial compensation in the WNBA.

However, there's more to the financial side of things than meets the eye. The NIL deals collegiate players are getting are similar to the endorsement deals WNBA players are getting apart from their designated team salaries.

NIL refers to the financial deals by players based on their name, image and likeness, earning them money while they are still in college. These partnerships with brands can be carried over to the WNBA if they are chosen to be drafted into the league, which has a base salary of $76,536 for top-four picks.

Dallas Wings player DiJonai Carrington explained it on X, debunking the financial narrative that has clouded the league as top prospects like Fudd and Miles pulled out of the draft.

“This $$$ narrative with the W vs NCAA is sooooooo tired 😩 YES(!!!) we should (and WILL) get paid much higher salaries BUT you can still make that same $$, it’s just no longer called NIL money … it’s called ✨endorsements✨🙂 *sent with love*,” Carrington wrote on X.

Consensus top pick Paige Bueckers also explained the similarities of the NIL deals and WNBA endorsements, saying that it's just like the same thing but with a different name.

“It’s like, you guys have literally no idea because (with) NIL nothing changes. It's just like once you get to the league, like the title changes. It’s no longer NIL, it’s just an endorsement deal," Bueckers said in a roundtable discussion with Sue Bird, Aaliyah Boston and Nneka Ogwumike in 2024.

Bueckers is expected to carry over her NIL deals once she gets drafted in the WNBA, which includes partnerships with Gatorade, Nike, Unrivaled, CeraVe, Google Chrome, Intuit and more.

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Sue Bird reflects on financial disparity between WNBA and college

In the same roundtable discussion with Bueckers, Aaliyah Boston and Nneka Ogwumike, WNBA legend Sue Bird made her feelings known about fans’ perception of WNBA earnings and college.

Bird said that being paid needs to be earned through court performances.

“Women's college basketball has a huge-state platform, rightfully so it's earned, it's deserved. There's this misconception that the WNBA is less than. That you're taking the pay cut.

"There are gonna be some college kids that are making more in their NIL in college than they will as a pro. That's going to be real. And there's some that made less in college and will make more as a pro. And what it all really comes down to is your game,” Bird said.

The financial issues come as the WNBA draft gets nearer; it's slated to be on April 14, with the Dallas Wings getting the top pick, followed by the Seattle Storm and the Washington Mystics.