‘Too Small’: From NIL Glory to WNBA Paycheck Reality

The conversation around pay gaps in women’s basketball is getting louder - and rightfully so.. For years, the WNBA fans and players have noted the poor pay provided by the league. Now with the recent, rapid growth of the game and the introduction of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation, the demand for increased pay has become an unavoidable discussion.

A recent landmark $2.8 billion settlement has opened the door for Division-I colleges to pay student-athletes directly. Effective July 1, 2025, athletes who have participated in NCAA sports from 2016 to present should expect to receive compensation from their university over the next decade. This historic decision fundamentally aids the already rapid-evolving landscape of NCAA student athletes receiving compensation through NIL. The truth is simple: college ballers have the opportunity to get paid more than professional athletes.

The recent ascension of superstars such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and more has resulted in capitalizing on building brands, securing deals, and lifting the bar in earnings as American, professional women’s basketball players and shows why the WNBA needs to pay players more money.

Rookie Salary Realities

Coaches, players and fans understand that the expectation level of talent and pace in the WNBA supersedes the college game, but is not reflected in the pay value of the WNBA. When it comes to direct correlation of compensation with NIL, the true potential of revenue far exceeds the expectations of the current WNBA rookie salary. This is expected due to the unlimited potential of securing NIL deals for lengthy periods of time at both levels. But what exactly are those revenue differences?

The key to successfully practicing the methodology of NIL is clear: projected earning potential is based on numerous values, including performance incentives, marketability, social media presence, and equity stakes. NIL deals aren’t capped like WNBA contracts, making them more flexible and lucerative. 

The current WNBA rookie salary scale, which varies based on order of draft picks, tops out at $78,831 earned in one year for the top four draft picks. Under the current CBA, a rookie from the 2025 draft class can expect to earn just over $300,000-$350,000 in four years (minus added incentives) from performance-based play due to its fixed income structure.

Fixed salaries also means that the ratio of marketability of a player’s brand value versus the compensation received from the league is significantly different. For most top five draft players in the last two draft classes, the value of college marketing opportunities through NIL will be at least 4-5x earned from a rookie contract, with the opportunity for that ratio to increase based on the ability to sign on more deals in the future while on their four year, fixed rookie salary projection.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Clark and Reese, who were the top two earners in women’s college basketball NIL at the end of the 2023-2024 season, raked in a staggering 3.7 and 1.7 million dollar difference (respectively) in college valuations versus their first year WNBA salaries. Clark ended the 2024 fiscal year with over $11 million earned in endorsements alone.

Here are the top five NIL valuations earners (in no particular order) from the last two draft classes:

Paige Bueckers (2025 draft, #1 pick, Dallas Wings)

NIL Valuation: 1.4 million

WNBA Contract: $78,831 (Year 1 of Contract)

Ratio difference: 18:1

Angel Reese (2024 Draft, #7 pick, Chicago Sky)

NIL Valuation: 1.8 Million

WNBA Rookie Salary: $74,909 (Year 2 of contract)

Ratio difference: 25:1

KiKi Iriafen (2025 draft, #4 pick, Washington Mystics)

NIL Valuation: $700,000

WNBA Rookie Salary: $78,831 (Year 1 of contract)

Ratio difference: 9:1

Caitlin Clark (2024 draft, #1 pick, Indiana Fever)

NIL Valuation: $3.8 Million (earned in college)

WNBA Rookie Contract: $78,066 (Year 2 of contract)

Ratio difference: 49:1

Including Clark’s total endorsements in 2024 at $11 Million, the ratio would be 149:1

Cameron Brink (2024 draft, #3 pick, Los Angeles Sparks)

NIL Valuation: $297,000

WNBA Rookie Contract: $78,066 (Year 2 of contract)

Ratio difference: 4:1

Other noticeable college players who will be draft eligible for the 2026 and 2027 draft class and will face the same significant pay disparities in their rookie contracts include USC guard Juju Watkins ($765,000 - $1M) and LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson ($1.5M).

So, What’s Next?

With the recent up spike of rookie players earning a stark difference in NIL valuation, some of the pay discrepancies conversation has shifted focus to the expectations of significant salary increases on the horizon of a new CBA. With the current one set to expire on October 31, WNBA players and league officials will have these differences - along with the boom of viewership and popularity - in mind when creating new standards of women professional athletes relying on the league as their main source of income.