When the Women ’s National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) tips off its2024 even season on May 14 , a gifted 12 teams will train to play 40 game each as they strive to make it all the way to the WNBA finals . Dedicated fan might be curious about thebasketballplayers move straits to head each week , including who holds the statute title ofhighest pay WNBA player .
Here , we ’ll intermit down the bragging paychecks for the 2024 season and which WNBA players can await those dollars . We ’ll also explain how WNBA compensation works and study the salary gap between the WNBA and the NBA .
How Do WNBA Salaries Work?
When talk about WNBA recompense , it ’s important to understand a few first harmonic . The first one is theCollective Bargaining Agreement(CBA ) , which is a contract between the WNBA and the WNBA Players Association detailing the rules around how the league pays its jock .
The second is the maximum base salary , also called the “ supermax , ” and it functions a number like a earnings chapiter . Just as the CBA outlines two stage of minimum base earnings , it also describes two levels of maximum base salaries , with the supermax being an ultimate hard chapiter on a player ’s base salary for a season .
For 2024 , the supermax is $ 241,984 . Only certain player dispose for supermax wage , with requirements revolving around the number of years they ’ve meet in the league , among other things .
On top of their root pay , player might take in incentive or other character of recompense throughout the season . Some might signalise endorsement deals with major brands , too . While those funds are separate from a player ’s base pay , they still bring to the athlete ’s overall one-year earnings .
7 Highest Salaries in the WNBA
$241,984: Arike Ogunbowale, Kahleah Copper and Jewell Loyd
For the upcoming time of year , there ’s a three - way tie for the WNBA ’s high ante up player . Arike Ogunbowale , Kahleah Copper and Jewell Loyd can all expectbases of $ 241,984 — the highest maximum base permissible in the league for 2024 .
$234,936: Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi ’s base for 2024 is $ 234,936 , making her the fourthly - highest - paid histrion in the WNBA , although she has the second - highest salary after the three - way tie of Arike Ogunbowale , Kahleah Copper and Jewell Loyd .
A native Californian , Taurasi has spent her intact career with the Phoenix Mercury since the team draught her as its first overall choice in 2004 . A guard , she has led the Phoenix Mercury to multiple championships and is the all - clip leading scorer in the league ’s history .
She has also earned multiple Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) honor and played for numerous all - ace teams throughout her career , consistently gain her one of the highest - pay players in the conference .
$234,350: Natasha Howard
With a salary of $ 234,350 , Natasha Howard is currently a power forward for the Dallas Wings . She has make for for the league since 2014 — first for the Indiana Fever , then the Minnesota Lynx , follow by the Seattle Storm and the New York Liberty .
She is known for her shot - blocking power , recoil and the capableness to guard multiple positions on the court .
$218,000: Alyssa Thomas
The fourthly - highest paid role player , Alyssa Thomas will draw in in a base of $ 218,000 in 2024 . She has played for the Connecticut Sun since they outline her into the conference in 2014 . able-bodied to play both forward and safeguard position , Thomas is experience for her versatility .
In former 2021 , she suffered a tear Achilles tendon but returned to the court justnine months later , showing her determination to appease in the game . She has been an all - superstar multiple time and received All - WNBA Team honor .
$212,000: Kelsey Mitchell
A guard for the Indiana Fever , Kelsey Mitchell ’s wage is $ 212,000 . in the beginning from Ohio , she played hoops for Ohio State University before the Fever draft her as the 2d overall pick in the first round in 2018 .
A skilled three - point shooter , her power to settle tenacious shots has made her a serious grading menace . Like many of the other players on this list , she recommend for social justice matter , such as racialequality , in her time off the court .
$218,219: Napheesa Collier
Another one of the conference ’s top earners , Napheesa Collier has a stem of $ 208,219 . The Minnesota Lynx blueprint her as the sixth overall pick in the first circle of the 2019 draft . Still with the Lynx , she can play both as a forward and as a guard and is have intercourse for being an exceptionally well - rounded player . In her first appearance season , the league constitute her Rookie of the Year .
$208,000: Marina Mabrey and Kayla McBride
Tying for seventh place for the WNBA ’s top salaries , Marina Mabrey and Kayla McBride can each exact $ 208,000 in 2024 .
presently a safety for the Chicago Sky , Mabrey played college basketball at the University of Notre Dame before the Los Angeles Sparks drafted her in 2019 as the 19th overall pick in the second unit of ammunition . She also spend two seasons with the Dallas Wings . Known for her three - point shooting power , Mabrey systematically rate among the top three - spot shooters in the league .
Since 2021 , McBride has been a precaution for the Minnesota Lynx . After she , too , completed her college career at the University of Notre Dame , the San Antonio Spurs ( now the Las Vegas Aces ) take her as the third overall picking in the first round of the 2014 WNBA Draft . While playing with the Las Vegas Aces , she achieve a life history eminent of18.2 points per gameduring the 2018 season .
The WNBA vs. NBA Salary Gap
The pay disparity between the WNBA and the NBA is substantial , although WNBA players continue to advertize for more equitable treatment . In 2022 , the average base remuneration for an NBA actor was $ 5.4 million , the medium WNBA salary was just$120,600 .
Some debate those soma reflect the leagues ' respective season — 82 games in the NBA and 36 games in the WNBA — while others betoken out that the NBA brings in significantly more dollars than the WNBA does through ticket sales , product and broadcast medium right . As a result , they argue , the NBA can open to bear its player much higher salaries .
Also worth considering is the fact that the NBA has been around since 1946 and had decades to farm its buff base and develop unlike revenue current . The WNBA , on the other hand , has only existed since 1996 and face up challenge in achieving the same stratum of popularity and fiscal succeeder .
Thegender give gapis not singular to hoops and speculate wide gender pay gaps in professional sports and other industries . As in other fields , accomplish pay fairness in sport will postulate on-going efforts to address systemic issues have-to doe with to gender , revenue and mental representation .
This article was create in conjugation with AI technology , then was fact - delay and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor in chief .
