WNBA Agent: Caitlin Clark Will Never Be Paid What She’s Worth

The WNBA will never be able to pay Caitlin Clark what she’s worth to the league, according to her agent Erin Kane. Kane, who also represents WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, Arike Ogunbowale, and other prominent athletes, sat down with ESPN to discuss the financial challenges facing the WNBA. 

While Kane admitted that all women’s basketball players need to be paid more, she also recognized that Clark has simply brought in more attention and economic value than her peers. 

“She’s part of a larger player body. They all need to be paid more. She should be recognized for what she has done and what she’s brought to the league from an economic standpoint. It’s as simple as that,” Kane told ESPN.

Will Clark Ever Be Paid Her Worth? ‘I Don’t Think That’s Possible’

Last year, WNBA attendance was 105% higher when Clark was in action compared to when the Fever were not playing and tickets were 241% more expensive. 

Recently, an economist at Indiana University Columbus estimated that Clark was responsible for adding $36 million in value to the Indianapolis economy and accounted for approximately 27% of the total economic activity in the WNBA last season. 

Yet, Clark is far from being one of the league’s highest-paid players. Clark’s contract is expected to pay her just over $78,000 in 2025, which is just over the minimum WNBA salary of $64,154. The league’s top earners can earn up to $241,984 by signing the league’s equivalent to a supermax contract.

“Will Caitlin Clark ever be paid by the WNBA what she’s really worth to that league? I don’t think that’s possible,” Kane said.

Could WNBA Salaries Lead To Strike In 2026?

Last year, the WNBA announced an 11-year media rights deal valued at approximately $2.2 billion or $200 million per year. That is about 233% more than the current deal of about $60 million annually.

In July, WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson accused the NBA of undervaluing the league’s media rights when negotiating the new deal.

About 45% of the total viewership came from Fever games and Clark led the league in jersey sales, leading to a whopping 500% increase in merchandise revenue. When Clark was in action, viewers were 199% more likely to tune into a WNBA game.

With Clark and the next generation of women’s basketball players generating more interest, it’s fair to wonder whether WNBA players could strike if they don’t reach a new deal soon. The current collective bargaining agreement ends in 2025 after the WNBPA opted out of the deal last October, opening up the potential for a work stoppage.

Unrivaled, a new women’s basketball league, currently pays its players more than $220,000 in annual salary to go along with an equity stake for some players.

“I think we’re ready for a spin-off [from the NBA],” Kane told ESPN. “I just think that the NBA is incentivized to make decisions that are good for the NBA, and those are not always aligned with what’s good for the WNBA.”