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Caitlin Clark’s WNBA Rookie Salary Dwarfed By Ice Cube’s $5M BIG3 Offer

Mya Abraham
·2 min read
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Caitlin Clark was once the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader, and on Monday (April 15), she became the No. 1 overall draft pick for the Indiana Fever at the 2024 WNBA Draft.

The former Iowa Hawkeyes’ star is reportedly set to receive a four-year contract worth a total of $338,056, according to the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). During her rookie season, she is set to make $76,535 with gradual increases in the three years to follow: $78,066 (2025), $85,873 (2026), and $97,582 (2027). All four of the top draft picks will earn the same amount.

Yet, Clark’s annual WNBA salary is merely a fraction of the $5 million Ice Cube was offering for her to join the BIG3 League. “We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship. But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3,” said the rapper after news broke about the landmark offer.

The WNBA didn’t comment on Cube’s offer, but a spokesperson for the league did tell ESPN, “Caitlin Clark stands to make a half million dollars or more in WNBA earnings this coming season, in addition to what she will receive through endorsements and other partnerships, which has been reported to already exceed $3 million.”

Still, it’s less than the BIG3 deal.

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Clark currently has brand sponsorships with State Farm, Gatorade, Nike, Xfinity, H&R Block, Panini America, Gainbridge, and others. Per USA Today, it has not been announced on whether or not she has signed the new contract.

When reports of the WNBA rookies’ salaries surfaced, fans were irate. One tweeted, “This is so disturbing compared to the men’s NBA contracts Smfh.”

Compared to the 2023 NBA Draft, the No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama was reported to make $12.2 million in his rookie season and upwards of $50 million during his first four years. The pay gap has previously been justified because the NBA’s revenue is an estimated $10 billion while the WNBA’s is estimated to be $60 million, according to WSN.

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