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The 2024 WNBA season is set to start in about a month, and it's being hyped due to the arrival of Caitlin Clark. The Iowa Hawkeyes superstar is set to take over the league and is expected to bring more eyes to the product. It's a much-needed boost for a league looking to increase its popularity.
One of the main problems in the WNBA is the salary of its players, which is 64 times lower than the salary of its NBA counterparts. The average salary in the WNBA last season was $147,745, which is expected to rise ahead of this year's draft, as per Sporting News.
The highest-paid player in the league this season will be Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces. She will earn $252,450 per year after signing a two-year, $504,900 extension in the offseason. Erica Wheeler of the Indiana Fever was last year's highest earner at $242,154.
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The average salary has been steadily increasing every year, with the value at $102,751 in 2022 and $147,745 in 2023. If the league continues its growth in the next few years, its latest CBA will likely mean more money for the players.
How much will Caitlin Clark earn as a rookie in the WNBA?
Caitlin Clark is expected to get drafted first overall in this year's WNBA draft. She'ss one of the most hyped female prospects in recent memory, and her success in Iowa justifies it. She has been a record-breaker on and off the court, helping the growth of women's basketball in the United States.
So, how much will Clark earn when she turns pro in less than a week? According to USA Today, the sharpshooting guard will earn around $76,000 per year with the WNBA. It's a far cry from what she's earning through her NIL deal, which is reportedly valued at around $3.5 million.
Clark ranked fourth among college athletes with the highest NIL deals, just behind Bronny James of the USA Trojans (basketball), Shedeur Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes (football) and Livvy Dunne of the LSU Tigers (gymnastics).
Despite her salary from the league, Clark will earn more through her endorsements. It's also a matter of time before some of the companies who invested in her invests in other players.
Former league commissioner Donna Orender told CNN that Clark's arrival will have a huge effect, with hopes that her fanbase will attract more eyes to the product.
"Clark is the top of the pyramid in terms of bringing in her fan base," Orender said.
"They're going to follow her. There's so much talent in the WNBA. That talent is going to get exposed in a much broader way that’s going to elevate all the levers that create a successful league."
