Will the WNBA ever pay Caitlin Clark what she deserves? “I don’t think that’s possible”
Erin Kane, the agent of WNBA star Caitlin Clark, says her client’s basketball salary will never meet her true value.
After a stellar first season in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark has been dealing with plenty of off-the-court media glare in recent times, after a row over an All-Star snub was followed by her representative’s complaints about her salary.
Clark passes up 3-point contest against NBA’s men
In late January, the Indiana Fever star came under scrutiny in basketball circles for turning down the chance to compete in a three-point shootout against major men’s players such as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, during February’s NBA All-Star Weekend.
The controversy continues to stir debate. Clark has said she opted out because she would prefer her first appearance in an All-Star three-point contest to be in the WNBA, the league she belongs to. Critics have labeled the decision by the 23-year-old, who was the WNBA’s No. 1 Draft pick in 2024, as arrogant and divisive.
And Clark, who led the Fever to the playoffs in her rookie season in the WNBA, averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game, recently found herself in the spotlight once again, in the wake of an interview given by her agent.
“Will Clark ever be paid what she’s really worth?”
In late February, Erin Kane, who represents Clark and other top players in the U.S.’s premier women’s basketball league, spoke about her client’s impact on the sport and the financial struggles female players face.
“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 told ESPN.
The agent, who also represents Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, added: “What I can say about Caitlin being compensated by the WNBA is that she’s part of a larger player body. They all need to be paid more.
“She should be recognized for what she has done, what she has brought to the league, from an economic standpoint. It’s as simple as that.”
This debate is particularly relevant as another prominent WNBA player, Angel Reese, recently complained that she is struggling to pay her rent on her basketball salary.
How much does Caitlin Clark earn?
As the WNBA’s top Draft pick in 2024, Clark will earn $338,000 over four years, with a salary of $76,535 in her first season. In stark contrast, Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 selection in the latest NBA Draft, is to receive an average salary of $14.2 million during his opening seasons in the men’s professional ranks.
Clark’s earnings from her WNBA salary are just a fraction of her total income. According to Sportico, her 2024 WNBA pay accounted for just 1% of her annual earnings, with the rest coming from endorsements with brands like Gatorade, State Farm, Wilson, Hy-Vee, Xfinity, Gainbridge, Panini, Lilly, and a lucrative deal with Nike, her biggest sponsor.
Article originally written in Spanish, before being translated with the assistance of AI, and edited by William Allen.
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