Top Story: Agent says: WNBA Can’t Pay Caitlin Clark Her True Salary…

Clark reportedly made $76,535 in her first year playing in the WNBA

 

Caitlin Clark’s agent is reflecting on the WNBA star’s value to the league.

Erin Kane, who represents Clark, 23, under Excel Sports Management, pondered during an interview with ESPN, “Will Caitlin Clark ever be paid by the WNBA what she’s really worth to that league?”

“I don’t think that’s possible,” Kane said. The Excel Sports manager went on to explain that the Indiana Fever star is “part of a larger player body” that needs to be “paid more” by the WNBA.

“She should be recognized for what she has done and what she’s brought to the league from an economic standpoint. It’s as simple as that,” Kane added.

WNBA salaries have been a frustrating topic for the league and its players. When Clark was drafted first overall last April, her salary quickly drew criticism as more people became aware of the average player income.

According to Spotrac, Clark reportedly made $76,535 in her first year and will bring in $78,066 in her second, $85,873 in 2026, and $97,582 in 2027. In total, she will earn $338,056 during her first four years in the league.

That same month, the WNBA star signed a deal with Nike for a reported $28 million over eight years, which would make it the largest-ever for a WNBA player.

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And when the new women’s 3×3 basketball league Unrivaled attempted to get Clark to play, they reportedly offered her $1 million plus equity stake in the team, though she ultimately declined the offer.

When Unrivaled concluded on Feb. 14, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier addressed the difference in her salary after winning the largest one-day prize in women’s basketball history, a $200,000 payout. “My entire WNBA salary is what I just got in 30 minutes of playing one-on-one, which is insane to even say,” Collier, 28, said, according to ESPN.

According to ESPN, Unrivaled players earn an average salary of more than $220,000 during the eight-week season, which is close to the maximum base salary in the WNBA.

When Clark was invited to participate in the NBA’s 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend on Feb, 15, the WNBA star reportedly turned down the offer in an attempt to draw more interest in the WNBA’s upcoming All-Star events. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Clark “wants her first three-point contest to be at WNBA All-Star in Indianapolis this summer,” rather than the NBA’s.