WNBA Draft 2024: Annual salaries for top 5 picks this year explored

The 2024 WNBA Draft saw unprecedented hype. However, the pay gap debate has come to the forefront yet again. The stark difference between what an NBA player gets paid vis a vis a WNBA player has drawn widespread attention from the media.

There has been ample curiosity around the salaries of the top WNBA draft picks. Keeping in mind that Caitlin Clark and other top freshly drafted players will be paid under the WNBA’s rookie scale, here is the list of the annual salaries of the top five picks in the 2024 draft.

WNBA Draft 2024: Annual salaries for top 5 picks explored

#5 Jacy Sheldon

Jacy Sheldon is arguably the most impactful player on both ends of the floor. Sheldon can shoot from the three-point line, make crucial defensive stops for the team, and can also shoot jumpers.

The Dallas Wings selected her with the No. 5 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She signed a four-year contract with the Wings that will pay her $73,439 in her rookie year. According to her rookie contract, her annual earnings will go as high as $93,636 in her fourth year.

#4 Rickea Jackson

The addition of Rickea Jackson to the Los Angeles Sparks has made them a much more well-rounded team this year.

Jackson was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks at No. 4. She signed a four-year rookie contract with the team. Under her rookie contract, Jackson would be paid $76,535 annually. Her annual salary will go as high as $97,582 in her fourth year.

#3 Kamilla Cardoso

Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese (picked seventh) will make a dream pair going into the 2024 season. Their development together will hold the key to Chicago's rise to prominence in the league.

Cardoso was selected at No. 3 by the Chicago Sky and signed a four-year rookie contract with the team. Under her rookie contract, Cardoso will make $76,535 in her rookie year. However, her annual earnings will go as high as $97,582 in the final year of her contract.

#2 Cameron Brink

Cameron Brink was the biggest defensive pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Her ability to block shots is expected to make news in the league. Brink has been a Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and will look to hit the ground running in her first pro season.

Cameron Brink was selected at No. 2 by the Los Angeles Sparks. Under her rookie contract with the Sparks, Brink will earn an annual salary of $76,535. Moreover, her annual salary will touch up to $97,582 in her fourth year, where she will also have a player option.

#1 Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark will go down in history as perhaps the greatest draft prospect in WNBA history. The Indiana Fever selected Clark with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft. While Clark’s rookie contract is not as big as her talent warrants, she should be able to pocket more money as the league expands.

Under her rookie contract, Caitlin Clark will make an annual salary of $76,535 in 2024, $78,066 in the year 2025, $85,873 in the year 2026, and $97,582 in the year 2027, where she will have a player option.