Caitlin Clark’s WNBA salary criticized by Super Bowl winner Justin Reid who calls her $76,535 first-year salary a ‘theft’… as fans compare the star’s contract to a ‘Draymond Green fine’
Caitlin Clark’s starting salary in the WNBA was called a “steal” by Super Bowl winner Justin Reid, with the former Iowa star set to earn just $76,535 in her rookie season.
After being selected first overall by the Indiana Fever in Monday’s WNBA draft, Clark will sign a four-year, $338,056 contract with the team, with the option of a fourth year.
And Reid, who won the last two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, denounced the salary Clark will receive.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “CC made Iowa and everyone around her millions and will surely do the same in the WNBA and see none of this…Robbery.”
Clark’s salary rises to $78,066 in the second year before climbing again to $85,873 in the third year. If the fourth-year option is taken, Clark will then earn $97,582.
Caitlin Clark will make less than $77,000 in her WNBA rookie season with The Fever
And his salary was criticized by Chiefs defensive back Justin Reid, who called it a “steal.”
Clark is the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader (men’s and women’s) and is a two-time national player of the year winner at Iowa.
Despite these accolades, she would begin her WNBA career with an extremely modest salary by professional sports standards, with fans comparing her contract to the salary of a 9-to-5 job.
“The teacher salary for a superstar is crazy,” one said. “The WNBA needs to do better. This is unacceptable.’
Another said: “The greatest woman in the world gets an entry-level consultant salary. »
And another joked: “Someone said Caitlin Clark’s rookie contract was a fine for Draymond (Green).
For comparison, Victor Wembanyama – the NBA’s No. 1 overall pick last year – made $12,160,680 in his first season with the San Antonio Spurs.
Notably, the WNBA has never been profitable and was expected to generate between $180 million and $200 million in revenue last season, according to Bloomberg, while the NBA recently surpassed $10 billion in revenue.
Nonetheless, Clark will be well compensated financially through various sponsorship deals.
It has already secured deals with blue-chip companies like State Farm Insurance, Nike, Gatorade, Buick, Hy-Vee and many others.
