The level of fame that Caitlin Clark has garnered over the past two years or so has been unprecedented in college and pro basketball. Given that Clark is so popular, people were shocked to find out that the former Iowa Hawkeyes star will be making a meager $76,535 in her rookie year as the WNBA Draft’s #1 pick. For context, Victor Wembanyama, the NBA’s 2023–24 first-overall pick, is set to make a whopping $12.2 million in his first year.
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However, Clark and the Fever don’t have any say in her contract or rookie pay. That’s because the WNBA follows a predetermined pay scale, and here’s how it works. The top four picks in the WNBA draft make $76,535 in year one, $78,066 in year two, and $85,873 in year three. Teams then have the opportunity to pick up a fourth-year option for $97,582.
That being said, Clark and the other three top-four draft picks aren’t making the same amount of money; it’s not even close. Most of CC’s big bucks come through sneaker/brand deals, endorsements, and advertisements. For example, just a few months ago, Clark reportedly signed a $28 million sneaker deal with Nike, which will see her stay with the American brand for eight more years.
The only person to rival Clark’s fame and possible earnings is her rival from NCAA basketball, Angel Reese. The former LSU star went 7th overall in the WNBA draft and is expected to make even less than Clark through her rookie deal with the Chicago Sky. Reese signed a four-year, $324,383 contract with the Sky.
However, off the court, Reese has been a big sensation, garnering millions of followers across her social media accounts, which eventually helped spike her NIL ratings.
During her senior year at LSU, Reese racked up $1.8 million in NIL valuation, which ranked eighth among all collegiate athletes and second in women’s basketball, according to On3. Reebok, Beats By Dre, Airbnb, Amazon, Playstation, SI, Starry, and Panini America are just the names of a few companies Reese signed with in college and has stayed with as she entered the WNBA.
The rivalry between Clark and Reese seems to have also piqued curiosity among fans as to which of the two star rookies makes more money. The simple answer is most probably Clark.
While all the details of their endorsements are not public information, it’s fair to assume that Clark, who had a NIL value of $3.1 million in college, will probably have bigger numbers in her deals compared to Reese. Still, due to most contracts having non-disclosure clauses, it is hard to know for certain.
But Clark will be our pick, as the 22-year-old Iowa native is being touted as the next big thing in women’s basketball.
