Since the arrival of Caitlin Clark to the Indiana Fever or Angel Reese to Chicago Sky, the WNBA has seen its numbers grow with a host of new fans and new media rights deals. In fact, Clark’s debut was the league’s most-watched game with 2.12 million viewers on ESPN2.
However, WNBA rookie contract salaries are low. This year, the WNBA and WNBPA set the starting salary for the first four selections at $79,000 and five through eight at $75,643.
For the rest of the players selected in the first round it is $72,455, for the second round picks it is $69,267 and the third round picks earn $66,079.
In addition, all players receive a 2% raise in their first and second seasons. In the third and fourth seasons, the first two picks receive 10% and 13.6% more respectively, and third round picks receive 5% and 14.2%.
Differences with the NBA
Despite this, the difference is abysmal when compared to NBA salaries. This league has been in existence for more than 75 years and its revenues could not be compared with those of the recent WNBA, which dates back to 1996.
This is reflected in salaries. For example, Cooper Flagg, who is expected to be the first pick of the NBA Draft, would earn $11,521,600 and could increase, since the league allows signing for up to 80% of his rookie salary.
Compare that to the $76,535 Caitlin Clark received and the $78,831 base salary Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 Draft, and these numbers reflect the difference.
Although a collective bargaining agreement was agreed in 2020 for female players to receive 50% of the league’s additional revenue, in the NBA they receive 50% of all revenue. The financial situations of the teams also become uphill and many players have had to be laid off because of the restrictive salary caps.
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