Caitlin Clark will earn up to $500,000 during her rookie season, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert insisted, following protests that the former Iowa star would earn just $76,535 in base salary.
After being selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in this week’s WNBA Draft, Clark reportedly signed a four-year, $338,056 contract with the team, an amount that many fans and media members thought which was staggeringly low for all-time NCAA points. leader.
However, Engelbert has clarified that Clark will be all-in much more.
‘[For a] CEO, did you just put the base salary there? No, you put their bonuses, you put their stock options, you put everything,” Engelbert said at a CNBC Changemakers event, according to New Jersey.com.
“Caitlin has the ability to earn up to half a million dollars in WNBA salaries alone this year, so they’re just looking at a base, which is collectively bargained and [what is reported is] “It’s actually low, because she’s the number one pick.”
Caitlin Clark, seen in Monday’s WNBA Draft, signed a four-year, $338,056 contract
However, Clark will earn up to $500,000 this season, according to the WNBA commissioner.
As Engelbert mentioned, Clark’s base salary is limited by the WNBA collective bargaining agreement, which was negotiated in 2020, before she began playing at Iowa.
The current collective bargaining agreement runs through 2027, although there is an option to end it sooner, and perhaps that will happen if Clark brings the type of monster grades to the WNBA that she achieved in the college game.
Clark’s salary rises to $78,066 in the second year before rising even further to $85,873 in the third year.
If his fourth-year option is picked, Clark will earn $97,582.
Cathy Engelbert said Clark will do “very well” and will receive a bonus toward his overall salary.
However, he will also be well paid thanks to various sponsorships from companies such as State Farm and Nike, with the latter reportedly signing him to an eight-figure deal.
“She also has millions and millions of dollars in endorsements and in fact, because she has declared that she is going to turn professional, her endorsements have a higher dollar value; she now has a global platform, not just an American platform, so which will do very well for him as will the best players in the league, as in all leagues,” added Engelbert.
Clark is expected to make her WNBA debut on May 14 against the Connecticut Sun.