Getty Caitlin Clark during a June 1, 2024 WNBA game against the Chicago Sky.
Caitlin Clark’s base salary in her rookie WNBA season for the Indiana Fever is $76,535, according to the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
She will earn multiple times more money than that if (and when) she becomes part of New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart’s new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, called Unrivaled.
On May 30, an X post from The Athletic’s Shams Charania said Unrivaled, is “setting the record for paying the highest average salary in pro female team sports history.”
During Charania’s May 30 appearance on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back,” he said that that the Unrivaled’s salary is, “going to be about double” the current average WNBA salary, which is $120,000.
In addition, Charania noted the new league’s top salary would be “significantly higher” than the WNBA’s current $241,000 supermax salary, and that, “they’re going to spend a lot more on the top players than that amount of money.”
While Clark may not be a top WNBA player quite yet, her popularity will attract a ton of attention toward Unrivaled. This alone would justify a team including her on their roster, and giving her something close to the top salary.
It’s unknown what that top salary might be. But based on Charania’s comments, it sounds like Clark could be earning around a $750,000 base salary with Unrivaled.
That doesn’t include the “equity ownership stake in the league” that Charania said on “Run It Back” the first 30 players to sign for Unrivaled will receive.
Therefore, she could be earning 10 times her current WNBA salary in this new league.
Further Information About Unrivaled
Breanna Stewart, who is the WNBA’s reigning MVP, co-founded Unrivaled with Minnesota Lynx player Napheesa Collier. Stewart and Collier played at UConn together during the 2015-16 NCAA women’s basketball season, under head coach Geno Auriemma.
A press release discloses that the league is financially backed by a group of investors that includes former star athletes Megan Rapinoe, Carmelo Anthony and Steve Nash.
Stewart announced Unrivaled during a May 30 “Good Morning America” appearance.
When speaking with “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts, Stewart said that one of the reasons she and Collier founded the league was so WNBA stars can “just be home” during the WNBA’s offseason.
“In a typical women’s basketball life, you play in the WNBA and you go overseas,” Stewart said. “And there’s a seven-month gap where, you know, our W[NBA] players aren’t home, aren’t in market.
When Roberts asked Stewart what set Unrivaled apart from other 3-on-3 leagues, she said, “I think what sets Unrivaled apart is, especially in the women’s world, this has never happened before. This is the largest average salary in women’s sports.”
Caitlin Clark’s Eventful June 1 Against the Chicago Sky
Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever faced off against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on June 1, in Indiana.
The Fever ultimately won the game by a score of 71-70. Clark finished the game 11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 turnovers, on 2 of 9 shooting from three-point range.
Clark was knocked down by veteran WNBA player Chennedy Carter at one point in the third quarter, as shown by a viral video. Carter is accused of calling Clark a “b****” moments before the incident occurred.
Clark was uninjured as a result of the altercation.
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