Last week, the salaries of several WNBA draft picks were announced. Angel signed a four-year, $324,383 contract with the Chicago Sky, earning $73,439 in her first year, which will increase each season until she hits $93,636 in her fourth year.
Caitlin Clark, who rose to fame playing for the University of Iowa and made history as NCAA Division I basketball’s top scorer, landed a contract with the Indiana Fever after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft. According to the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, Clark will earn $338,056 over four years. Stanford’s Cameron Brink, who signed with the Los Angeles Sparks, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, who signed with the Chicago Sky, and Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson will also make the same amount as Clark.
While fans celebrated the good news, the fact that the year’s No. 1 NBA draft pick landed a $55 million four-year contract has left a sour taste in their mouths—but should it?