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With the WNBA draft behind us and the season right around the corner, fans are wondering who the highest-paid WNBA players are and how much they make. Given that both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in NIL money, fans have also wondered about the comparison in pay.
Currently, Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces is the highest-paid WNBA player with an annual salary of $252,450. Young is currently in the first year of a two-year deal worth $504,900. With another year on her contract, Young won't be an unrestricted free agent until the 2025-26 season.
In second place is Arike Ogunbowale, who plays for the Dallas Wings. As a protected veteran, she earned $234,936 in 2023, with the amount going up to $241,984 this season. After that, her salary will again rise during the final year of her contract in 2025, where she will earn $249,032.
In third place, sitting slightly behind Ogunbowale, is Jewell Loyd, who plays for the Seattle Storm. This year will be the final one on her contract and will see her earn $234,936 before she heads to free agency for the 2024-25 season.
Fourth and fifth-highest-paid WNBA players
Sitting just behind Loyd, we have quite the three-way tie with three women earning $224,870 according to NBC Sports: DeWanna Bonner of the Connecticut Sun, Skylar Diggins-Smith of the Phoenix Mercury, and Elena Delle Donne of the Washington Mystics.
Bonner's contract is worth $899,480 over four years. She is preparing to enter the final year of her contract this season. The contract is similar to that of Diggins-Smith and Donne, with both preparing to hit free agency after this season.
Finally, we have Natasha Howard of the New York Liberty, who reportedly earns $224,675 per year.
With that in mind, let's see how the figures stack up against the NIL money that Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark earn, given that both have chosen to stay in school. According to On3, Angel Reese's NIL valuation after winning the NCAA title accounts for $1.3 million per year thanks to 17 different NIL deals.
According to On3, Caitlin Clark's NIL deals alone are worth approximately $739,000, which doesn't include her 2022 Nike Deal. Given how much the two make, it's no wonder that they both decided to forgo the draft and stay in school for one final year.
The WNBA season is set to kick off on May 19th, with four games scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
Guess the Lakers players!
