Caitlin Clark's Salary Will Be Much Lower Than Her Historic NCAA Career Would Indicate
Rookie Contract
Despite a record-shattering college career and a no-doubt No. 1 overall selection by the Indiana Fever in this week's WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark's salary will be far lower than her accomplishments would suggest.
CBA Constraints
Clark's four-year rookie contract is worth a base of $338,056. This is due to the WNBA's collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which sets rookie salaries based on draft position. As the No. 1 pick, Clark is entitled to the highest salary on the rookie scale, but it is still a relatively modest amount.
Under the 2024 WNBA rookie scale, the maximum salary for a first-round pick is $80,000. Even if Clark had been selected by a team with more salary cap space, she would not have been able to earn more than this amount in her first year.
This is in stark contrast to the salaries of top male athletes in other professional sports. For example, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Paolo Banchero, signed a four-year, $20.4 million contract with the Orlando Magic.
The disparity in salaries between the WNBA and other professional sports leagues is a reflection of the different levels of revenue and popularity. The WNBA is a relatively young league, and it has not yet reached the same level of popularity as the NBA or other major professional sports leagues. As a result, the WNBA does not have the same amount of money to spend on player salaries.
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