NBA Payouts that are more than WNBA supermax ft. Taurean Prince's $1,000,000

The finances of the NBA and WNBA differ significantly. The WNBA supermax contract is worth $241,984 per season. In the NBA, contracts often include bonuses that can significantly exceed this amount, which is unsurprising given the NBA's commercial juggernaut status.

For instance, Taurean Prince became the first player in NBA history to earn a million dollars from winning the NBA Cup for the second season in a row — first with the Lakers and then with the Bucks.

For veterans like Taurean Prince, a million-dollar payout is just a fraction of his nearly $52 million career earnings. In contrast, for WNBA players, such an amount is monumental, being four times the WNBA supermax contract.

In the WNBA, players can qualify for a supermax contract by signing an extension of their rookie scale contract. For example, Sabrina Ionescu will be eligible in 2026 after completing the required five years. Jackie Young, the highest-paid player in the 2024 season with a salary of $252,450, had to wait five years to be eligible for a supermax as well.

Another way for a WNBA player to earn a supermax is through veteran extensions, which can be 120% of the base salary or the final year of their contract.

Let's look at some NBA contract bonuses that eclipse $241,984.

NBA payouts that are higher than the WNBA supermax

#1 Jrue Holiday's $2.8 million bonus

When Jrue Holiday helped the Boston Celtics win the NBA championship in 2024, he received a $1 million bonus written into his contract for winning the title. Holiday's 2024 season turned out to be fruitful as he accrued a total of $2.8 million in bonuses by hitting six stipulated conditions.

#2 Kevin Durant's $1.2 million All-Star bonus

In 2023, Kevin Durant made his 13th straight All-Star appearance and earned $1.2 million for being selected. Durant, one of the league's most marketable and consistently excellent stars, is tied for seventh in All-Star game selections after reaching a total of 14 in 2024.

The financial incentives for All-Star weekend starkly contrast between the NBA and WNBA. While NBA players receive a $100,000 bonus for playing in the game, WNBA players receive a base payout of just $2,500.

WNBA All-Star Weekend Payouts

Competition	Prize Money
All-Star Game MVP	$5,150
Skills Competition Winner	$2,575
Three-Point Contest Winner	$2,575
Skills Competition Participant	$1,030
Three-Point Contest Participant	$1,030
All-Star Game Bonus	$2,500

#3 Kyrie Irving's 50-win Bonus

In April 2024, Kyrie Irving pocketed a nice $1.1 million bonus after helping the Mavs reach their 50th regular-season win of the season. The Mavericks guard is no stranger to success, but he failed to hit a second bonus that required him to play 65 games that season.

Irving's $126 million contract is packed with incentives, most of which exceed the WNBA supermax. When he signed with the Mavericks in the 2023 offseason, the point guard said:

"I wanted everything that was structured in my contract incentive-wise to be based on production and that was wins and how many games I'm playing," Irving told reporters.

With the WNBA's recent surge in popularity, led by Caitlin Clark, it's time for star players to receive more equitable compensation. The supermax is projected to increase twice in 2025 and 2026, eventually reaching $256,721. As several young talents mature into stars, more progress may be on the way.