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. However, we think the discrepancy is larger than it should be based on viewership and appetite for womens professional sports. Skylar Diggins . Patrick Ewing became the first player to earn $15 million or more in the 95-96 season with a . According to Her Hoop Stats, 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. Picks 9-12 will earn $66,306, while second round picks will receive $63,389 in 2022. Three players, two of whom suit up for the same WNBA team, will earn a league-high $228,094 on supermax salaries for the upcoming season. Parker was an All-Star at age 36 last year after posting averages of 13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists across 32 games. She continues to break records both offensively and defensively. And we added in prior overseas play. However, in recent years the popularity of the WNBA is skyrocketing. 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. Which Colleges Have Had The Most NBA Players? She signed a two year $463,030 contract last offseason, giving her an annual salary of $231,515. After Delle Donne went public with her disgust at the situation, the Mystics backtracked and promised to pay her to stay home. The two-time champion is leaving the Seattle Storm after six seasons to play for the New York Liberty. Richest Female Basketball Players and Their Net WorthRichest Female WNBA PlayersCandace Parker Sue Bird Breanna Stewart Lisa LeslieElena Delle Donne Kelsey P. Three franchises will pay their top-earning player less than $200,000 for the upcoming campaign. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. WNBA stars also earn lucrative endorsement deals worth millions per year off the court. How Much Does A College Basketball Coach Make? I'm being paid same as Pistons' Jackson; Tiffany Hayes ($215,000) is the highest-paid player for the Atlanta Dream for the second consecutive year. She recently starred in some CarMax commercials. Delle Donnes highly anticipated return to competition has the W community on the edge of their seatsas the star forward has been sidelined for nearly two years now. NBA players get paid more because their league makes more money, full stop. Because after the NBAs Kyrie Irving saw her wearing his shoes, he told Nike, Okay, yeah, give her whatever she wants. So, well factor in another $2,000,000 into her income for good measure! Hansel Enmanuel is the highest-earning college basketball player with an NIL value of $1.5 million.Enmanuel, who was born with no left arm, is from the Dominican Republic and attends Northwestern State University.He amassed 1.6 million Instagram followers, and 2.7 million TikTok followers, much from his high school basketball highlight videos going viral.Fans across the world were inspired by Enmanuels story as well as his ridiculous athletic ability. How much a WNBA rookies makes depends on where she was drafted. Its big-time, lets just say that, Brittney told USA Today in 2013. In 2020, the Women's National Basketball Association came to termson a new collective bargaining agreement that included significant salary bumps. According to Spotrac, DeWanna Bonner, Elena Delle Donne and Skylar Diggins-Smith, each signed the richest contract in WNBA history in 2020, worth $899,480 over four years. uolas Tubelis is a Lithuanian-born player who currently plays for the Arizona Wildcats as a junior power forward and has an NIL value of $787,000.With 10,500 followers on Instagram, 31,000 on TikTok, and 1,100 on Twitter, he is currently part of the Arizona Assist Club.While he has no NIL deals currently, his growing value will likely ensure that he receives some prominent deals in the future. Since then, she is leading a glorious career. In 2021, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Griner, Skylar Diggins-Smith, DeWanna Bonner, and Liz Cambage were the highest paid WBNA players. [5] Finally, the rookie player exception allows any NBA team to sign their first-round draft pick to a contract based upon a scale previously set forth by the NBA. All-star guard Jewell Loyd became the highest paid WNBA player after resigning with the Seattle Storm before the 2021 season. Who is the highest-paid WNBA player in 2023? She played college basketball at Notre Dame. Her contract salary from the club is $228,094. So she will now receive close to $100,000 to train for United States. Jackie Young of the Aces has an average annual salary of $252,450 and is currently the WNBA's highest-paid player in 2023. 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. And she deserves every bit of it. Loyd was the first overall pick in 2015 after an illustrious career at Notre Dame, going to two national championship games. Once that happens, WNBA salaries will reach the place where they should be for the entertainment value they are capable of providing. Absolutely, she said. Considering Liz was making $117,500 in that year, a quick calculation tells us that her overseas contracts have been close to $1 million dollars a year. She is playing as Shooting guard for Seattle Storm. In the NBA, the highest paid player this year is Steph Curry, making about $48 million. In 2020, she let the league know she was back in business after her achilles injury. 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. Enmanuel has deals with major companies such as Adidas, Gatorade, T-Mobile, and Dreamer.He famously appeared in commercials for Gatorade and in a commercial for rapper J. Coles Dreamer collaboration with Puma. The Liberties young star point guard Sabrina Ionescu is slated to make $76,297 this upcoming season. While these might not necessarily be the exact total pay figures for players, we did the best we could directionally. And add that to her bank. Obviously, shes worth every penny of her (too small) WNBA income and then some! Liz Cambage also endorsed Wilson basketballs as of 2021. At TheDataJocks, though, we take a starkly different perspective. Who are the highest-paid NBA players? As a five star recruit Bailey chose UCLA over a multitude of other schools. Breannas team, the Seattle Storm, won the 2020 WNBA Championship. The Ace's core remains young and hungry after their first taste of winning, but can they do it again next season? She was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft. DeWanna Bonner comes fourth at $227,900. In June 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA was no longer allowed to prevent education-related payments to students, which changed college sports forever.This paved the way for NIL deals, which allowed college athletes to profit on their own name, image, and likeness through endorsements and brand deals.A combination of a strong social media following off the court, and good play on the court can result in players receiving millions of dollars in NIL deals per season. Meanwhile, just for reference, tennis phenom Naomi Osaka comes in at $57.3 million according to Forbes. Each year there are ten players selected to one of the two All-NBA Teams. Phoenix Mercury teammates Skylar Diggins-Smith and Brittany Griner are not far behind on the richest woman basketball players list. To supplement her WNBA income, Sue has played overseas during the WNBA off-season for much of her storied career. Now, compare the average WNBA salary (128,000) versus the average NBA salary (7.5 million). She made $1.5 million per season with the Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg. What are the richest contracts in WNBA history? Liz herself said, in 2018: Ive said this many times. In 2022, Breanna Stewart will earn a base salary of$228,094. And to top it off, shes earned four Olympic gold medals which makes it easy to say that, as a basketball player, shes earned her weight in gold. The ratio of the highest paid WNBA player to the 144th best paid WNBA player is about 3.8. Check out the highest-paid player on each WNBA team for the 2022 campaign below: Dallas Wings Moriah Jefferson ($180,200) Moriah Jefferson. WNBA stars Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, and Jewell Loyd earn the most money in the WNBA, putting them among the highest paid athletes of all time. But the reality is, the more brands that pump money into womens sports, the more the sport is going to thrive. So given those facts, were going to take a stab at her endorsement income and estimate it to be at least $1.5 million. Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd and Seattle forward Breanna Stewart are the highest-paid players in the WNBA,. The second highest earner on the Aces is two-time league MVP A'ja Wilson. The LA Sparks, who lost superstars Parker and Gray in the offseason, will pay Kristi Toliver andWNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike max salaries of $190,550 each this year. Now onto the highest paid WNBA players of all time. No matter what is the sport, there is always a pay gap between the mens and womens event. Sue has been with Nike since 2003. But its less clear how our women stack up against each other. Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. The list could look different closer to the 2023 WNBA season. So today, we break down potential revenue streams for our favorite female athletes. Therefore in the last section when we compared the average WNBA salary to the average NBA salary, we were comparing the salaries of the top 144 womens players to the salaries of the top 360 mens players. Or learn how salary impacts WNBA free agency. Speaking engagements net current WNBA players anywhere between $10,000 $50,000, plus Liz is a DJ! However, we expect WNBA viewership to increase rapidly in the near future. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Its a bit of a mystery how much money Sue makes for her sponsorship deals. 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. Cavinder has endorsement deals with Under Armour, Raising Canes, Intuit TurboTax, and Victoria's Secret PINK. And famously sat out the WNBA 2015-2016 season. Below are the WNBA players who are paid the highest. WNBAstarswho earn the most money are true international superstars who live luxurious lives on and off the court. Young is set to make $252,450 this season.. Also, there was no 2020 All-Star game, which wouldve netted players chosen a bonus of $2,575. In Australia, she currently plays for the Southside Flyers. The 68 center for the Los Angeles Sparks has been selected to the All-Star team three times. In his sophomore season, he led the Jayhawks to a National Championship win. (66 kg) Skylar Diggins-Smith is a WNBA standout who receives a salary of $221,450, making her one of the four highest-paid WNBA players in the league. She, along with 7 other WNBA players, also has a Glossier deal. Since the day she was drafted, Taurasi has won three WNBA championships (2007, 2009, 2014), one WNBA Most Valuable Player Award (2009), two WNBA Finals MVP Awards (2009, 2014), four Olympic gold medals, (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016), five scoring titles (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), WNBA Rookie of the Year Award (2004), and three FIBA World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018). The highest paid WNBA players ever might surprise you. As of February, the title of the highest-paid WNBA player belongs to Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces. Stephen Curry became the first player to eclipse $40 million per year when he signed a record 5-year contract worth $201 million in 2017, starting with $34,682,550 in the 2017-18 season and ending with the largest earnings in the 2021-22 season with a record payout of $45,780,966, If his contract continues Curry is expected to be the first player to eclipse $50 million in the (2023-24) season. DeWanna Bonner spent 10 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, and in that time, she became one of the WNBA's superstars. Now that youre locked in, lets see the results. Jewell Loyd (born October 5, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for Perfumerias Avenida of Spain's Liga Femenina de Baloncesto and the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). 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. Marta Vieira da Silva is undoubtedly the highest paid basketball player in the WNBA. The point of this exercise is to counter the myth that we cant afford to pay high salaries to WNBA players because the league just doesnt make any money. In addition to Roc Nation, Skylar also has deals with Sprint and Nike. Who is the highest-paid player in the WNBA? Skylar Kierra Diggins-Smith (born August 2, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The NCAA womens college basketball tournament has been played since the late 1970s. @megsterr. Candace Parker Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images. As are the Washington Mystics small forwardElena Delle Donne and Connecticut Sun guardDeWanna Bonner. Diana Taurasi - 228.094 dollars. This will lead to an increase in the average WNBA salary. Breanna is also a part of Team USA. The WNBA may be following a similar trajectory. 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. 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. Salaries will continue to rise in the years to come, as the WNBA's salary cap will increase by three percent annually. A Quick History of WNBA Profitability. In this article well list a few reasons and statistics why we think the average WNBA salary is lower than it should be. Bates has 501,000 followers across all social media. 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. She played for Dallas Wings from the beginning of her career before making a move to Phoenix Mercury in 2020 for which she is currently playing for. Why? In recent years, the popularity of the league has been increasing dramatically. Shes been named league MVP twice, has been an All-Star 5 times, including being named the All-Star MVP in 2013. 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. At the age of 32, Elena is still giving brilliant performance and winning games for her team. The lowest-paid player in the WNBA is Mercurys Kaela Davis. 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. So she pockets an additional $11,536 for that feat. Net Worth: $400,000 WNBA Team: Phoenix Mercury Position: Point Guard Height: 5 ft. 9 in (1.75 m) Weight: 145 lbs. Some of the WNBA's biggest stars are currently free agents in search of new contracts, including Breanna Stewart andCourtney Vandersloot. We have three points and reasons why we think the average WNBA salary and the league revenue as a whole is set to explode. Earning a second WNBA title and a second WNBA Finals MVP award. 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. Most Expensive UFC Fighters Contracts Deals. But she recently signed deals with life insurance company Symetra (along with her life partner, Megan Rapinoe). See the highest and lowest player salaries in the NBA on ESPN.com. If you buy something from a link on our site, Queen Ballers Club may earn a commission. 1. They are Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, and Jewell Loyd. As well as earned All-WNBA First Team and Second Team honors. Thus, looking at average salaries biases the argument in favor of the men! Her decision came in spite of a panel of league-appointed doctors who would not deem her medically excused from play in the WNBA Bubble, which would have allowed the Mystics to withhold her 2020 salary. Most recently, her impact was big enough on and off the court to net her Sports Illustrateds Sportsperson of the Year. WNBA Salary Rankings Listing the top salaries, cap hits, cash, earnings, contracts, and bonuses, for all active WNBA players. Amazingly, in her 13th season, Candace was awarded the coveted 2020 Defensive Player of the Year. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Beginning in the 198485 NBA season, the NBA's first salary cap was introduced. 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. Skylar has as a very successful WNBA career playing basketball at the highest level. In the WNBA world, the story on everyones mind is Brittney Griners ongoing detention is Russia. The highest player topping our list in total earnings ever is Candace Parker whos at $5.7 million per year. She will earn a base salary of $228,094 next season. AP Photo/Danny Karnik Los Angeles Sparks . With the 2022 WNBA season tipping off Friday, we took a look at the league's highest-paid players. Knocked out in the second round of the playoffs, the Phoenix Mercury, Skylars current team, earned her a team bonus of $1,803. The current record-holder for most points scored in a WNBA game an astonishing 53 points! Drew Timme is a star forward for the Gonzaga Bulldogs mens basketball team, who has an NIL value of $912,000.He is in his senior season at Gonzaga, and has had quite the career with the Bulldogs. She was also the first openly gay athlete to sign with the company, which garnered her a lot of attention. , 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. Jackie Young of the Aces has an average annual salary of $252,450 and is currently the WNBAs highest-paid player in 2023. 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. She is proficient at getting to her spot and knocking down jumpers at the most crucial moments. Check out the highest-paid player on each WNBA team for the 2022 campaign below: Dallas Wings Moriah Jefferson ($180,200) Moriah Jefferson. So its no mystery why shes one of the leagues top earners. A teacher makes approximately $35,000-$55,000 yearly. She is the tallest and highest paid WNBA player. 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. In high school, Stewart was the National Gatorade Player of the Year, the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year, and a McDonald's All-American. WNBA Salary Rankings | Spotrac WNBA Salary Rankings Listing the top salaries, cap hits, cash, earnings, contracts, and bonuses, for all active WNBA players. And throughout her enviable career, shes been named a WNBA All-Star four times. The highest-paid NBA players by season has recently eclipsed $40 million. By looking at viewership for womens college basketball, we argue that the revenue gap between the WNBA and the NBA can be closed. Eight players, including Davis, have salaries less than $10,000. She was drafted first overall in the 2015 WNBA draft by the Seattle Storm. AP Photo/Ashley Landis Las Vegas Aces A'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray ($196,267) A'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray. In celebration, Mercury GM Jim Pitman emphasized the obvious: [Diana] is the heart of our franchise, the first face on our Mount Rushmore, the best winner and competitor in the womens game. And its easy to see that theres a good chance Candace made close to $1.5 million dollars during her overseas reign. Also in the top 10 richest contracts in WNBA history are Storm legend Sue Bird and Mercury star Brittney Griner. Not only that but the maximum salary a WNBA player could earn almost doubled, from $117,500 to $215,000 in 2020, per ESPN. Your login session has expired. Double trouble. While we have cited some numbers above that indicate that players in the W are underpaid even relative to current revenue, the point is that the leagues revenue is not where it should be. She is one of only 11 women to attain all four accolades. In fact, Deloitte predicts elite womens sport revenues could top almost a billion dollars next year. She has been with the Dream since she first entered the league in 2o12 after being selected 14th overall in the draft.