Here’s Exactly How Much Caitlin Clark Will Earn In The WNBA
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Caitlin Clark is one of the biggest names in basketball—and she's got the bank account to prove it.
The Iowa guard was just selected by the Indiana Pacers with the first overall pick of the 2024 WNBA draft. Fans are abuzz at the news: Ticket prices rose when Indiana was announced as the first pick, and people are already clamoring to get her new jersey.
The recognition is well-deserved. During her final season as a Hawkeye, Caitlin racked up records on records. She’s now scored more points than anyone in college basketball—for men and women—and was named the Naismith National Player of the Year for the second year in a row.
Given Caitlin's unprecedented record, many are wondering how much money Caitlin will make in the WNBA. Here is a break down of Caitlin Clark's net worth, including her name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals and WNBA salary.
Caitlin will make about $76k during her first year in the WNBA.
Caitlin signed a four-year, $338,000 contract with the Indiana Fever, according to Spotrac. It will pay $76,535 this year and increase through 2027, maxing out at $97,582 in her fourth year. There are also additional earning incentives like WNBA Rookie of the Year (a $5,150 bonus) and selection in the All-Star game (an additional $2,575), according to USA Today.
Needless to say, this is a far cry from Caitlin's NBA counterparts. Victor Wembanyama, who was year’s top NBA draft pick, signed a four-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs for $55 million, per The Cut. WNBA salaries max out around $240,000, the publication says, which is less than the lowest-earning NBA player. Most WBA players supplement their earnings by playing abroad during the off-season.
But Caitlin's starting salary will be made in addition to her existing NIL deals (which will then just be called sponsorships), according Sports Illustrated. She isn't taking a pay cut, since college basketball players do not make a salary. So you can rest assured that Caitlin will still be raking in the cash.
Caitlin could also make additional hundreds of thousands of dollars thanks to a league marketing agreement, but it's not guaranteed, ESPN explains.
"Caitlin Clark stands to make a half million dollars or more in WNBA earnings this coming season, in addition to what she will receive through endorsements and other partnerships," a league spokesperson told the outlet.
What is Caitlin Clark’s total net worth in 2024?
Caitlin is worth $3.4 million, according to On3. Since college athletes do not make a salary, this comes from a number of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.
That makes her the fourth-highest-paid college athlete, behind LeBron James'son Bronny James, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, and LSU's Livvy Dunne.
She currently has 11 NIL deals, including ones with Nike, Gatorade, and more.
Caitlin currently has 11 NIL deals with major brands including Buick, Nike, Gatorade, State Farm, and more, per On3. All of these partnerships make her thousands of dollars per month, and a few of them were even inked in the last few weeks, according to the site.
Caitlin was even State Farm’s first-ever collegiate athlete to sign, appearing alongside the NFL’s Patrick Mahomes on the brand's roster of athletes.
When Caitlin announced her Nike deal in late 2022, she said she was "humbled" to join the latest generation of Nike athletes, which included Bronny and fellow women's college basketball star JuJu Watkins.
"I grew up watching Nike athletes across all sports play their game," she said in a release at the time. "They have inspired me to work hard and make a difference."
In January, Caitlin used the partnership to her advantage, gifting her entire team Nike sneakers.
One of her deals includes a hot new t-shirt.
Caitlin Clark Iowa Hawkeyes Nike Unisex Record Breaking T-Shirt
fanatics.com
$34.99
After Caitlin broke the NCAA record for all-time leading scorer, Nike put out a new t-shirt supporting the basketball star.
The black cotton shirt reads, “You break it, you own it,” in a white font on the front and has Caitlin’s name and number on the back in yellow. It sells for $34.99 on Fanatics.com.
“Nobody on the court is safe when Caitlin Clark starts dropping buckets on their head,” the description for the t-shirt reads on the online retailer.
Caitlin was reportedly offered $5 million to join the Big3.
On March 27, rapper Ice Cube confirmed that his Big3 League, a three-on-three basketball league, had extended an offer to Caitlin after it was reported by TMZ.
"We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3."
Reportedly, the offer is for $5 million, per TMZ, which would raise her net worth even more. According to the rapper, she could still play in the WNBA, pitching it as an alternative to playing abroad during the off-season.
"America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet," he wrote, seemingly referring to Brittney Griner's 2022 imprisonment in Russia.
It remains to be seen if Caitlin would be allowed to play in the Big3 and the WNBA under the player's league's collective bargaining agreement, per ESPN.
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