Caitlin Clark recently made headlines for signing with the WNBA. Since then, there has been much debate over her salary, which will reportedly be a little over 70k. This article will examine the pay disparities between the WNBA and NBA. For example, how does Clark’s salary compare to that of her male counterparts? How does it compare to that of other women in the league?
Who is Caitlin Clark?
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Caitlin Clark is an American basketball player from Des Moines, Iowa. At 22 years old, Clark is considered one of the best collegiate basketball players of all time. During her college career, she played for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Although she is technically still enrolled in school (she is set to graduate in a few weeks), Clark recently made headlines after signing with the WNBA. She was selected as a first-round draft pick for the Indiana Fever.
Caitlin Clark’s University of Iowa bio can be found here.
What are Caitlin Clark’s Stats?
Caitlin Clark plays point guard. During her freshman year at the University of Iowa, she averaged 26.6 points per game (PPG). Clark averaged 27 PPG in her sophomore year, 27.8 PPG in her junior year, and 31.6 PPG in her senior year. Overall, she has a career average of 28.4 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game, and 8.2 assists per game.
Clark led the NCAA in PPG during her freshman, sophomore, and senior years. she was named National Player of the Year after her junior and senior years. During her junior year, she helped the University of Iowa win its first national championship title and returned to the national title game the next year. However, during Clark’s senior year, the Hawkeyes ultimately lost the national championship to the South Carolina Gamecocks.
For more information on Caitlin Clark’s stats, upcoming games, and other news, visit this link.
Caitlin Clark’s WNBA Deal
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On April 15, 2024, the Indiana Fever selected Caitlin Clark as a first-round draft pick. She will reportedly only earn $76,000 during her first season. So, how does Clark’s salary compare? What is the average salary for a WNBA? Read the next section to find out.
To read more about Caitlin Clark’s WNBA draft, check out this link. For more information on how Clark’s WNBA will shake up the league, you can read more here.
Pay Disparities Between the WNBA and NBA
While $76,000 is an average salary for most Americans, it is quite a low offer in terms of sports. And while Clark’s salary recently made headlines, it is not out of the norm for most WNBA players. Sporting News said the average WNBA salary in 2023 was $147,745 (O’Sullivan, 2024).
So, this being Clark’s first year in the league, $76,000 isn’t a bad offer. Per Spotrac, Las Vegas Aces player Jackie Young, the highest player in the league, reportedly makes around $252,450 a year (FOS Staff, 2024).
In contrast, the highest-paid NBA star is Steph Curry, who reportedly makes $51,915,615 as the point guard for the Golden State Warriors (NBA Player Salaries—National Basketball Association—ESPN, n.d.). Although Curry is a seasoned player, he is not an outlier.
New draft picks in the NBA make exponentially more than their WNBA counterparts. For example, the first-round NBA draft pick, Victor Wembanyama, reportedly signed a deal for over $12 million for his first year in the league!
While Clark has other income streams aside from her WNBA salary, can other WNBA players say the same? If one of the most talked-about players in the league is making so little, imagine how much other, less notable players make. We need to change the ways we incentivize professional athletes, especially women. And, until there is true equality within professional sports, I’m afraid this won’t be the last pay disparity we see.
For more information on the pay disputes between the WNBA and NBA, check out this article from Total Apex’s own Tom Carothers here.
Caitlin Clark’s Endorsement Deals
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While Caitlin Clark made headlines for her yearly WNBA salary, she also has income from endorsement deals and advertisements. During her time at the University of Iowa, she reportedly made around $3 million in endorsements. She has worked with companies like Gatorade, State Farm, and Gainsbridge.
She recently signed a $28 million deal with Nike. At the time of publishing, Clark is only one of five WNBA players to score a shoe endorsement deal. I’d say with that amount of money, she’ll be just fine. However, perhaps there should be a change in WNBA salaries as a whole, especially considering how their viewership is now the highest it’s been in decades.
For more on Caitlin Clark’s endorsement deal with Nike, check out this link.
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