How much is Caitlin Clark’s per game salary in 2024 WNBA Season?

The draft of Caitlin Clark, arguably the greatest rookie in WNBA history, raised a lot of questions about the gender gap. Clark entered the draft as the leading scorer in college basketball, men or women.

However, after she signed the rookie contract with the Indiana Fever, the contract raised eyebrows around the sports world. She signed a four-year $338,056 rookie contract with the Fever.

Clark’s rookie contract, which is decided by the Collective Bargaining Agreement is far less than what was expected, especially after a successful 2023 season. Clark is set to receive $76,535 in 2024. A total of 40 games will be played this season, which amounts to a per-game salary of approximately $1,913.

Caitlin Clark’s salary witnesses a steady increase until 2027, following which, she becomes a free agent. The following table gives the details about her yearly as well as per-game salary for each season until 2027.

Year
Annual Salary
Cumulative
Per Game Salary (Approx)

2024
$76,535
$76,535
$1,913

2025
$78,066
$154,601
$1,952

2026
$85,873
$240,474
$2,147

2027
$97,582

According to the CBA, all top four selections in the first round will be paid the same salary. The agreement means that Clark, Cameron Brink (LA Sparks), Kamilla Cardoso (Chicago Sky) and Rickea Jackson (LA Sparks) will be paid the same amount in their rookie contracts by their respective teams.

However, Nike’s multimillion-dollar contract that Clark signed recently will see the Indiana Fever star rookie earn $28 million from the sneaker giant. Moreover, Clark will also have her own signature shoe with Nike.

Caitlin Clark and the Fever lost 79-76 to the Dallas Wings in the first of two preseason games. Clark scored 21 points on her debut.

Caitlin Clark vs Victor Wenbanyama rookie salary

There’s a world of difference between the salaries of NBA and the WNBA players, including rookies.

Caitlin Clark’s total four-year contract is far less than rookie Victor Wembanyama’s yearly salary. While Wembanyama will be paid over $12 million for the 2023-24 season, Clark’s total rookie contract is only $338,056.

Wembanyama will earn over $16 million in his final year of contract in 2027. While Clark will be paid less than $2,000 per game in her rookie year, Wembanyama will receive $148,300, highlighting the massive pay gap between the No. 1 draft picks of the men’s and women’s basketball leagues.

The massive difference is due to a multitude of reasons, though. One, while the NBA is an established league and running for 78 years old, the WNBA is only 28 years old.

Moreover, there is also a stark difference between the revenue generated by both leagues. While the NBA generates a total revenue of over $10 billion, the WNBA generates only $200 million.

As the WNBA grows in light of the recent increase in viewership, there’s hope that the pay gap will decrease in the coming years.