With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that many of the richest contracts in WNBA history were signed over the last couple of seasons. Deals can't be officially signed until Feb. 1. Image credit: (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images). Trayce Jackson-Davis is a senior forward for the Indiana Hoosiers, who has an NIL value of $886,000.He was a highly touted prospect out of high school, being named to the McDonalds All-American Team. Magic Johnson became the first player to earn $10 million or more in the 94-95 season with a salary of $14,660,000. She has also, Breanna Mackenzie Stewart (ne Baldwin; born August 27, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Our overall argument is not only that today, right now WNBA players should be paid more. NBA Player Salaries - 2022-2023 . Hammon was an assistant coach for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs for eight seasons before making the leap to become a head coach in the WNBA. And add that to her bank. ONeal has amassed 3.6 million followers on TikTok, and 932,000 followers on Instagram.ONeal most notably has an endorsement with clothing brand boohooMAN and Capital One.ONeal is mostly a rotation player towards the end of the Texas Southern bench. Although WNBA salaries seem low compared to other athletes, WNBA players typically play basketball year round, spending the WNBA offseason touring Europe and doubling, or sometimes tripling, their salary. The WNBA may be a league on the rise, but its players pay is low. The two-time champion is leaving the Seattle Storm after six seasons to play for the New York Liberty. Jalen Wilson is a forward for the Kansas University Jayhawks mens basketball team, who has an NIL value of $914,000.Wilson has been a star for the Jayhawks, averaging 11.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in his freshman season. In Australia, she currently plays for the Southside Flyers. Putting $5,150 in Skylars pocket. In 2021, the star signed a multiyear shoe deal with Puma that guarantees her the creation and release of her own signature sneaker. Third rounders and undrafted rookies will receive . As of February, the title of the highest-paid WNBA player belongs to Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces. She also has 4.2 million TikTok followers, making her one of the most followed collegiate athletes in the United States.Haley, like her sister, has endorsement deals with Under Armour, Raising Canes, Intuit TurboTax, and Victoria's Secret PINK. The Phoenix Mercury point guard also earned the title of having the most All-WNBA First Team honors a total of 10! The 68 center for the Los Angeles Sparks has been selected to the All-Star team three times. Emoni Bates is one of the highest earning college basketball players, with an NIL value of $657,000.Bates is a 610 small forward and was the fifth best player in the recruiting class of 2021.Bates originally committed to Michigan State, then rescinded his commitment to attend Memphis. Basketball icon, WNBA salaries: Who has the highest, league average, more. After spending the past two years in her hometown of Chicago, the two-time MVP decided to sign with the reigning champs in Las Vegas. See the highest and lowest player salaries in the NBA on ESPN.com. And famously sat out the WNBA 2015-2016 season. Taurasi was actually the fourth-highest earner on her team last year, and took home nearly 35% less than sixth woman Bria Hartley did. In recent years, the popularity of the league has been increasing dramatically. With the 2021 WNBA season tipping off Friday, we took a look at the league's highest-paid players. What is the league average of salaries in the WNBA? However, in recent years the popularity of the WNBA is skyrocketing. For the first few years of the leagues history, it was so unpopular that the NBA had to subsidize the operating cost of their female counterpart. During her enviable pro career thus far, Brittney has been a 6-time WNBA All-Star. How much a WNBA rookies makes depends on where she was drafted. Basically, knowledge is power! , heres a breakdown of how much rookies drafted in 2022 made this season: According to Spotrac, Rhyne Howard, NaLyssa Smith, Shakira Austin and Emily Engstler, the top four picks in 2022, all have salaries of $72,141. The ability to dunk in the WNBA pays off handsomely, which is one of the reasons why the 67 Brittney is such a valuable asset. Diana Taurasi, now 38, signed a two-year supermax deal on February 1, 2021. He amassed 1.6 million Instagram followers, and 2.7 million TikTok followers, much from his high school basketball highlight videos going viral. As we dive into the salaries of WNBA players, however, the difference is stark. However, this is important knowledge, especially amongst players. But we can assume its a good amount. The base max salary is $190,550. When comparing college leagues, the men draw about 15 times more viewers than the women. The highest-paid NBA players by season has recently eclipsed $40 million. Sue has been with Nike since 2003. WNBA Highest Paid Players in 2021 Sue Bird (Seattle Storm) - $221,450 Sue Bird is one of the most recognizable names in basketball and a WNBA staple for nearly two decades. In 2020, she let the league know she was back in business after her achilles injury. The women's basketball players who make the most money are typically the best players in the game. The 24-year-old guard made her first All-Star team last year after averaging 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists. 20 Highest Paid WNBA Players 1. Heres everything you need to know about salaries in the WNBA (all numbers via Spotrac): In terms of base salaries, three athletes are tied for the highest-paid player in the WNBA: Seattle Storm stars Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart and Phoenix Mercury icon Diana Taurasi. They are two All-Star-level talents that can turn whatever team they're on into a contender. Breanna Stewart, a famous American basketball player is the 2nd highest paid WNBA player globally, having net worth of $1.7 million. Diana struck a deal with BodyArmor, a sports drink, in 2018, which she still endorses today. Shes been named league MVP twice, has been an All-Star 5 times, including being named the All-Star MVP in 2013. Who Is The Most Famous Athlete In The World Right Now. In February 2020, Bonner was signed and traded to the Connecticut Sun, making her eligible for supermax earnings there. Who is the highest-paid WNBA player? She led the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies to four national championships, was named the Final Four's most outstanding player a record four times, and was a three-time consensus national player of the year. A knee injury kept her out of the 2019 campaign, but she has otherwise played for the Seattle Storm in every WNBA season dating back to 2002. She has helped the Storm win two championships, with the most recent coming in the 2020 'wubble'. The salary cap, which is regarded as a hard cap, stands at $1,339,000; this amount of money is distributed among 11 or 12 players on each of 12 rosters. But award money calculations are based off of 2020 results. In 2022, Breanna Stewart will earn a base salary of$228,094. She recently starred in some CarMax commercials. In the afterglow of a hard-fought championship, 2019 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne re-signed with the Washington Mystics in the 2020 offseason to a well-deserved supermax deal. The list could look different closer to the 2023 WNBA season. She is the tallest and highest paid WNBA player. She is holding the most ludicrous contract deal with WNBAs club. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. DeWanna Bonner, Elena Delle Donne and Skylar Diggins-Smith aren't far behind. Hansel Enmanuel is the highest earning college basketball player with an NIL value of $1.5 million. weve reduced salary costs to buying wins, Top 10: Who is the Best WNBA Player of All Time? While it's still unknown what their new deals will look like, Parker or Stewart could join the ranks of the highest-paid players. New Mexico State Basketball Team Bio And Facts, Saint Peters Basketball Team Bio And Facts, Syracuse Orange vs Duke Blue Devils Basketball Rivalry, Syracuse Orange vs Georgetown Hoyas College Basketball Rivalry, Top 10 Best Kentucky College Basketball Players, Top 10 Best North Carolina Basketball Players, Top 10 College Basketball Rivalries of All Time, Top 10 Highest Paid College Basketball Coaches, Top 10 Highest Paid College Basketball Players, Top 6 Best Men's College Basketball Coaches of All Time, Top 6 Best Men's College Basketball Programs of All Time, Top 6 Best Women's College Basketball Coaches of All Time, Top 6 Best Women's College Basketball Teams of All Time. Each player is making the supermax salary of $228,094. Once that happens, WNBA salaries will reach the place where they should be for the entertainment value they are capable of providing. Due to injuries and other factors, Sue hasnt played overseas since 2014. Phoenix Mercury teammates Skylar Diggins-Smith and Brittany Griner are not far behind on the richest woman basketball players list. Brandon Figueroa vs Mark Magsayo Purse Payouts | How Much Both Fighters Will Earn from PPV Fight? That means that the NBA brings in about 125 times as much revenue as the WNBA. Stephen Curry of Golden State Warriors is currently the highest paid NBA player for 2021-22 NBA season, earning around $45.7 million U.S while Lebron James, on the 4th rank earning around $41.1 dollars for 2021-22 NBA season. Jay Swingler vs Nicholai Perrett Purse Payouts | How Much Both Earn from PPV Money? Seems like the top spots are dominated by the Connecticut Suns and Seattle Storm huh? And has never come off the bench! As we dive into the salaries of WNBA players, however, the difference is stark. However, the NBA uses a "soft" salary cap, which means that significant "salary exceptions" allow NBA teams to exceed their allotted amount in order to sign players. The highest paid player this season is, you guessed itJewell Loyd. She is proficient at getting to her spot and knocking down jumpers at the most crucial moments. However, shes often been very vocal about the low pay for WNBA players. If you adjust the WNBA revenue in this way, then the NBAs revenue is only 50 times the WNBAs revenue on a per team basis. That means the highest paid WNBA players only make about 1.8 times as much as the average WNBA salary. In 2022, the highest paid WNBA players are Breanna Stewart, DeWanna Bonner, Jewell Loyd, Elena Delle Donne, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner, and Diana Taurasi. Top highest paid NBA players in 2021. 1. Winner gets $1 to break the tie. Beginning in the 198485 NBA season, the NBA's first salary cap was introduced. These seven players. Her contract salary from the club is $228,094. Astonishing fact: Despite making our list of the highest paid WNBA players, Skylar has never lined her pockets by playing overseas! AP Photo/Ashley Landis Las Vegas Aces A'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray ($196,267) A'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray. WNBA Highest Paid Players in 2020 DeWanna Bonner (Connecticut Sun) - $215,000. So helping everyone win higher paid overseas contracts and endorsements is actually lucrative for everyone in the long run. If not for the remarkably low average WNBA salary, the Ws stars would not be compelled to play in overseas leagues in the offseason. Ogunbowale's salary for the 2023 campaign is closest to Young's at $241,984. To that point, Taurasis most recent contract was negotiated under the previous CBA, leaving her criminally underpaid. Bates was dismissed from Memphis following legal troubles and now finds himself at Eastern Michigan. Some argue that if not for the brilliant rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, the league might not be anywhere near where it was today. Picks 9-12 will earn $66,306, while second round picks will receive $63,389 in 2022. It will be interesting to see what the Storm can accomplished with an even larger role carved out for Jewell Loyd. According to Spotrac, Jewell Loyd and Arike Ogunbowale are currently set to be the highest-paid WNBA players in the 2023 season, with each of them earning $234,936. However, WNBA teams are just trying to stay afloat because the current market doesnt reward the best teams for winning. In the WNBA world, the story on everyones mind is Brittney Griners ongoing detention is Russia. Obviously, shes worth every penny of her (too small) WNBA income and then some! Tiffany Hayes ($215,000) is the highest-paid player for the Atlanta Dream for the second consecutive year. And before the first games tip off on Friday, Insider took a look at the league's highest-paid players on each team based on Spotrac's salary figures. In the NBA, the average salary is about $7.5 million. Not only did she win regular season MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, but her team won the Commissioners Cup and the WNBA Finals. Check out the highest-paid player on each WNBA team for the 2022 campaign below: Dallas Wings Moriah Jefferson ($180,200) Moriah Jefferson. Check out the highest-paid player on each WNBA team for the 2022 campaign below: Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. There is simply no reason that womens college basketball should bring in more money than womens professional basketball. This means that not only is the average WNBA salary lower than it should be, the top tier female athletes are underpaid! I'm being paid same as Pistons' Jackson; In high school, she was the National Gatorade . Plus, she was named to the 2020 All-WNBA First team, which added $10,300 in merit bonus cash to her wallet. Liz also plays for Australian and international teams during the WNBA off-season. When that happens, the average WNBA salary will be more representative of the quality of the players in the W. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. We have three points and reasons why we think the average WNBA salary and the league revenue as a whole is set to explode. The highest paid WNBA players ever might surprise you. Shes made our list for all the other money shes raked in beyond being a WNBA rock star. Chelsea Gray is a hardened veteran, and one of the best shotmakers in the league. Given those achievements, it makes perfect sense that Skylar is paid top-dollar. But currently, she plays in Russia for the UMMC Ekaterinburg team, where she continues to astound on the court. Her contract salary with the club is $224.870. Plus Skylars additional endorsements and her work as a Phoenix Suns broadcasts as analyst, altogether which weve guess-timated to be near $500,000. Marta Vieira da Silva is undoubtedly the highest paid basketball player in the WNBA. Through a sign-and-trade deal between Phoenix and Dallas (for whom she was a designated core player), point guard Diggins-Smith was able to sign a four-year supermax contract with the Mercury in February 2020. The highest paid WNBA player in 2022 is every hooper making the $228,094 supermax which includes Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, and Jewell Loyd. Skylar Diggins-Smith - $221,450. Valentina Shevchenko vs Alexa Grasso Purse Payouts | What Will be there share in UFC 285 Potential Bonus? Jewell Loyd, G, Seattle Storm; $231,515 2. Each had a salary of $228,094 for this season. The professional game is of an indisputably higher quality than the college game. No matter what is the sport, there is always a pay gap between the mens and womens event. The lowest paid player for the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2020-21 NBA season is Daniel Oturu who will be paid a guaranteed $898,310. Shes signed contracts with Gatorade, Adidas, and Beats by Dre, Band-Aid, Capital One, and CarMax, among others. The problem is just that the WNBA isnt pushed as well as it could be. To the confusion of CBA novices, eighth-year players Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith both out-earned teammate and resident GOAT Diana Taurasi in 2020 by nearly $100,000. Wilson's 2022 campaign will go down as arguably the most dominant season in WNBA history. For picks No. Also Who is the lowest paid WNBA player? Perhaps more importantly, the WNBA now has bona fide superstars to push its popularity. Stewart was the first overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft and was named the 2016 WNBA Rookie of the Year. While her endorsement pay (including TV commercials) has been kept private, well take a modest estimate of $250,000. Who are the highest paid WNBA players in 2022? Who is the highest-paid player in the WNBA? This means in the NBA, the best paid player makes about six and a half times as much as the average player. Skylar Diggins-Smith. AP Photo/Danny Karnik Los Angeles Sparks . If there is any change in the details, we will make the, available here. The league minimum salary is now $58,710. From my perspective, the gender pay gap in basketball is attributable to the WNBA being a new league and not achieving the viewership it is capable of. Thanks to the hard-fought increases in the 2020 CBA (thank you Nneka! Who are therichest womenbasketball players? Two of Chicagos highest-paid players happen to be married: Courtney Vandersloot ($195,000) and Allie Quigley ($135,000), cheekily known as the Vanderquigs, each signed new deals with the Skyearlier last year. Not only that but the maximum salary a WNBA player could earn almost doubled, from $117,500 to $215,000 in 2020, per ESPN. Derek Brunson vs Dricus Du Plessis Purse Payouts | How Much Both Earn from Potential Bonus Money? The ratio of the highest paid WNBA player to the 144th best paid WNBA player is about 3.8. So she pockets an additional $11,536 for that feat. Jackie Young of the Aces has an average annual salary of $252,450 and is currently the WNBAs highest-paid player in 2023. In 2020, the Women's National Basketball Association came to termson a new collective bargaining agreement that included significant salary bumps. In Dianas 17-year career, shes broken WNBA records and has attained a plethora of accolades including being a 3-time WNBA champion. And shesignedon to exclusively wear LeBron Jamessignatureline on court. So she will now receive close to $100,000 to train for United States. Brittney is a powerhouse when it comes to overseas play and shes compensated pretty well for it. Although the Storm enjoyed a trip to the semifinals last season, they will have a large gap to fill with the retirement of Sue Bird. Candace also has a lucrative contract as an NBA analyst for Turner Sports. She primarily plays in Russia, where she earns anywhere between $400,000 $1.5 million dollars per overseas season. Three franchises will pay their top-earning player less than $200,000 for the upcoming campaign. Meanwhile, center Griner re-signed with and was cored by Phoenix, and was able to take advantage of the new supermax rules as well. Hanna Cavinder is the highest earning womens NCAA basketball player, with an NIL value of $846,000.Cavinder is a senior point guard at the University of Miami.She has amassed 4.7 million followers across all social media, making her the most followed college basketball athlete.Her 4.2 million TikTok followers makes her one of the most popular college athletes in the United States. But that doesnt mean that the average WNBA salary should be so low that its employees are compelled to play year round in overseas leagues, often in parts of the world that many Americans would not want to visit themselves. In 2022, shell make $227,900 from her Phoenix Mercury contract. And throughout her enviable career, shes been named a WNBA All-Star four times. The American professional basketball player signed a worthy contract with Phoenix Mercury earning her $224,870 yearly, contributing greatly to her total net worth of $400k. Liz medically opted out of the 2020 WNBA season due to the coronavirus pandemic, so she didnt earn any bonus or award money. The salaries and endorsements deals of DeWanna has contributed greatly to make her net worth touch the $1.5 million mark and making her the 4th highest paid women basketball player. But first, lets jump into the basics for this year. Some have argued that even with their current paltry salaries, WNBA players are overpaid. Top 10 highest paid players in the WNBA. Candace Parker is the first big name to join a new team in free agency. A recent New York Times article talks about how Paige Bueckers is waiting to go pro because there is more money in college basketball than in womens professional basketball. Another big name to move in free agency was Breanna Stewart. The lowest-paid player in the WNBA is Mercury's Kaela Davis. In this article well list a few reasons and statistics why we think the average WNBA salary is lower than it should be. The average WNBA salary is $128,000 in the 2021 season. In 2021, Delle Donne earned the updated supermax base salary of $221,450. Earlier, we pointed out that the WNBA is a young league. Maybe they should play one on one? Paige Bueckers is one of the highest earning college basketball players, with an NIL value of $822,000.Bueckers, a junior, is a star guard at the University of Connecticut. Breanna earns approximately $1.5 million per season overseas reported ESPN. While Diana no longer plays overseas, her career there was an extremely lucrative one. Stewart is currently having an expensive contract deal with Seattle Storm. Jessica Penne vs Tabatha Ricci Purse Payouts | How Much Both Earn from PPV Money at UFC 285? Haley Cavinder is one of the highest earning college basketball players with an NIL value of $842,000.Just like her twin sister Hanna, Haley is a senior point guard at the University of Miami. At the end of the day, salaries have to be related to revenue. The WNBA is a very new league, only having been founded in the late 1990s. We all know theres a gargantuan salary gap between NBA and WNBA team players. 2023 WNBA free agency is here, the regular season is fast approaching, and our staff of writers is working hard to bring you everything you need to know about every team in the league. ), WNBA players are earning more than they ever have and its well-deserved. The $898,700 contract Natasha Howard signed the following year ranks fourth all-time. And thus still earned her $1.5 million salary! So she now rakes in almost $100,000 more than that. In his sophomore season, he led the Jayhawks to a National Championship win. As she puts it: Ive never been overseas to play. WNBA Salary Rankings | Spotrac WNBA Salary Rankings Listing the top salaries, cap hits, cash, earnings, contracts, and bonuses, for all active WNBA players.