This article answers a simple question with careful rules: who is the richest woman in the WNBA today when we rely only on verifiable public reporting. The approach focuses on documented on-court salary and reported endorsement guarantees, avoiding speculative net-worth claims. The goal is to give a reproducible, source-backed ranking that readers can check themselves and to explain why endorsements often outpace league salary in determining the top annual earners.

Caitlin Clark ranks No. 1 under a salary plus public-endorsement methodology.

Signature shoe deals can shift a player's earnings profile more than league salary.

Verified contract reporting, not speculation, provides a reproducible ranking.

Quick answer: Who is the richest woman in the WNBA today? Why wnba player props matter

At-a-glance answer

The short, verifiable answer is that Caitlin Clark ranks No. 1 among active WNBA players when we measure top annual earnings using on-court salary plus publicly reported endorsement guarantees, driven largely by her reported contract with Nike. The focus here is transparent reporting and reproducible math rather than speculative net-worth lists, and that matters for readers tracking wnba player props because clear, source-based valuations affect how observers interpret market signals and player value.

Clark's reported eight-year, 28 million dollar Nike agreement, which includes a signature shoe program, is the largest publicly disclosed single endorsement for a current WNBA player and is the primary reason she ranks at the top under this method ESPN report on the deal.

Who is the richest woman in the WNBA today?

Using a transparent method that adds documented on-court salary to publicly reported endorsement guarantees, Caitlin Clark ranks No. 1 because of her reported Nike agreement that includes a signature shoe.

How we use verifiable deals to rank players

When we say "richest" in this context we mean the player with the highest documented combined earnings from league salary and publicly reported endorsement guarantees in a given year, not an unverified personal net-worth estimate. Because private wealth details are rarely disclosed, relying on public contracts and major outlet reporting gives a reproducible answer readers can verify.

On-court pay in the WNBA follows structured scales and caps that generally make league salary smaller than major endorsement guarantees for elite names, so endorsement reporting usually determines the top of an earnings list WNBA CBA summary.

How endorsements drive top earnings in the WNBA

Why off-court deals can exceed salary

For most elite WNBA players the largest single-year or multi-year earnings come from endorsement agreements, not from base salary, because the league payroll scale has historically been limited by collective bargaining terms and overall revenue distribution. That CBA framework constrains rookie scale and veteran pay and makes outside deals the main lever for high annual income WNBA CBA summary.

In practical terms, a multi-year guarantee from a global brand can eclipse several seasons of on-court salary in present value, since many top endorsements include guaranteed money and signature products that produce long-term revenue streams for the athlete.

Examples of signature shoe impact

Signature shoe arrangements are among the most visible endorsement mechanisms because they combine an upfront guarantee with ongoing royalties and marketing support. Sabrina Ionescu's signature shoe launch with Nike, introduced in 2023, is a clear example of how a single product line can change a player's commercial profile and earnings trajectory ESPN coverage of the Sabrina 1 launch.

Similarly, the announced Nike signature shoe for A'ja Wilson, set to debut in 2025, signals rising brand demand that could materially increase her endorsement income as the product and marketing cadence roll out ESPN report on A'ja Wilson.

Methodology: How we determine who is 'richest' among WNBA players

Metrics used: salary plus verified endorsements

Our ranking method is simple and repeatable: combine on-court base salary for the relevant year with publicly reported endorsement guarantees and signed multi-year deals where outlets have published guaranteed values. We exclude speculative net-worth estimates and unverifiable private income to keep the list reproducible and transparent.

On-court salary figures come from official CBA schedules and contract trackers, while endorsement guarantees come from primary reporting by established outlets and corroboration across reputable sources when available Spotrac WNBA contract overview.

See the full methodology and verified data

See the full methodology and the data table that lists each verified salary and reported endorsement figure so you can reproduce the ranking.

View methodology and data

When an endorsement's total value is undisclosed, we treat the deal as qualitative unless reliable reporting offers a dollar figure or an easily corroborated range. That conservative stance avoids inflating totals based on hearsay or social-media claims and preserves the ranking's evidentiary basis CNBC coverage of the Clark agreement.

WNBA pay structure: rookie scale, veteran salaries and the CBA context

Key CBA terms affecting pay

The WNBA's pay structure is governed by the collective bargaining agreement, which defines rookie scale slots, veteran minimums and maximums, and other payroll mechanics that limit how much teams may pay players on the roster at a given time WNBA CBA summary.

That structure means even top on-court contracts in the league are typically smaller than the headline endorsement guarantees that top stars negotiate with footwear and lifestyle brands.

Typical salary ranges by experience

Rookie-scale contracts, veteran deals and multi-year team contracts create a range of on-court pay that is transparent in aggregate but constrained relative to major off-court agreements tracked in other sports leagues. Contract trackers and salary summaries provide the on-court baseline needed to compare against reported endorsement values Spotrac salary data.

Because salaries are relatively predictable from the CBA and published tracker tables, the uncertainty that changes a player's position in an earnings ranking usually comes from undisclosed or partially reported endorsement terms, not from basic league pay.

The biggest reported deals: Caitlin Clark and other top endorsements

Caitlin Clark's Nike contract

Caitlin Clark's reported eight year 28 million dollar agreement with Nike, including a signature shoe, is the most widely reported single endorsement guarantee for an active WNBA player and is the primary basis for placing her at the top of a public-sources ranking ESPN report on the deal.

The agreement's length and reported guarantee separate it from many shorter-term or less transparent endorsement arrangements that do not publish dollar values, which makes Clark's deal a uniquely robust data point for earnings comparisons.

Funded Plays Challenges

View methodology and data

Other known signature and endorsement deals

Sabrina Ionescu's Sabrina 1 signature shoe launched in 2023 and demonstrates how a product line can translate brand investment into a long term revenue opportunity for a WNBA star ESPN coverage of the Sabrina 1 launch.

A'ja Wilson's announced Nike signature shoe for a 2025 release shows how pending launches can signal future earnings power even when full financial terms have not been publicly disclosed ESPN report on A'ja Wilson.

Short profiles: Where the top earners stand

Caitlin Clark profile

Caitlin Clark emerged as a top earner among active WNBA players primarily because of the large, reported Nike endorsement that includes a signature shoe program; that public guarantee is the most concrete off-court dollar figure available for ranking purposes ESPN report on the deal.

Her on-court salary follows the WNBA contract scales and contributes to total year earnings, but the endorsement guarantee dominates the headline figure when combined in our methodology.

Sabrina Ionescu profile

Sabrina Ionescu's signature shoe, launched in 2023, is a signal of elevated marketability and a source of ongoing endorsement income; the product launch and related Nike support are the primary publicly visible commercial assets in her income profile ESPN coverage of the Sabrina 1 launch.

Ionescu's on-court pay adds to her reported earnings but is smaller than what a signature product program can contribute over time.

A'ja Wilson profile

A'ja Wilson's announced Nike signature shoe for 2025 is a major commercial development that, once the deal terms and product performance are public, may raise her ranking among top-end endorsement earners ESPN report on A'ja Wilson.

Until guaranteed financial terms are reported, Wilson's case illustrates how announcements can be important signals without providing the exact numbers needed for a verified ranking.

How future media rights, new shoe launches and deals could reshape rankings

Potential impact of media rights deals

A substantial league-wide media rights increase or a new CBA that redistributes more revenue to player payrolls could raise on-court salaries and narrow the gap between salary and endorsement income, but such structural shifts take negotiation and time to affect annual earnings materially WNBA CBA summary.

Even with higher league revenue, top endorsement packages would likely remain a major driver of the very highest earner rankings because brand deals can include multi-year guarantees and product royalties that are not directly tied to league payroll structure.

estimate a player's verified annual earnings from salary and public endorsements

Use conservative reported endorsements only

How new signature shoes change endorsement value

A signature shoe's commercial value depends on guarantee size, distribution reach and the brand's marketing commitment; when a player signs a multi-year shoe deal with clear guaranteed money, that contract typically has a larger immediate impact on rankings than seasonal salary movement alone ESPN report on the Clark deal.

Because product launches and marketing cycles unfold over time, the full earnings impact may appear across multiple years rather than in a single season, which is why our methodology treats multi-year guarantees carefully and documents the timing used in any calculation.

Common mistakes and pitfalls when ranking athlete wealth

Relying on unverified net worth estimates

A common error is citing net-worth lists that do not disclose sources or that recycle claims from tabloids; without primary source documentation those figures are unreliable and should not be used to rank current-year earnings.

Prefer contract reporting and tracker databases because they provide verifiable salary numbers and, when available, guaranteed endorsement figures; that approach reduces the chance of overstating a player's documented income Spotrac contract overview.

Ignoring deal timing and guarantees

Another frequent pitfall is failing to account for whether reported deals are guaranteed, conditional or tied to performance incentives; guaranteed money should be treated differently from potential bonuses when calculating verified earnings.

Readers should also watch timing, because a multi-year contract's headline value may be spread across many seasons while a guaranteed upfront payment affects the current-year picture more directly.

Decision checklist: How to judge reported deals and rankings

Source verification checklist

Use this short checklist before accepting a headline about the "richest" player: look for primary reporting from outlets that covered the deal, corroboration by other reputable sources, and entries or context from contract databases when available ESPN report on the Clark deal.

Confirm whether a reported figure is guaranteed, the length of the contract, and whether royalties or product revenue are disclosed or estimated, because those distinctions change how a deal contributes to annual earnings.

Questions to ask before accepting a headline

Key questions include who published the original dollar figure, whether the number is guaranteed or conditional, and whether contract tracker databases or team announcements support the story. If the answer to any of those is no, treat the claim cautiously.

When possible prefer original brand or team announcements and follow-up coverage that corroborates the amounts rather than single-source social posts.

Scenarios and examples: How rankings change under different assumptions

If a player signs a multi-year shoe deal

Imagine a contender signs a multi-year shoe deal with a guaranteed component similar to published large WNBA deals; if the guarantee is comparable to the Clark report, that player could rise to the top of an earnings list quickly, because endorsement guarantees can outpace typical on-court salary ranges ESPN report on the Clark deal. Similar reporting appears at Bleacher Report.

Because we only use verified guarantee figures in rankings, a new publicly reported contract with a clear guaranteed value would be added to the player's annual total and could change the ordering immediately.

If a major media rights deal increases salaries

If league-wide media rights enlarge revenue distribution substantially and lead to a new CBA with higher salary caps, on-court pay could rise across many roster slots and the relative share of endorsements in top-earner totals could shrink, although elite endorsements would still likely be decisive for the absolute highest earners WNBA CBA summary.

These scenarios highlight that rankings are sensitive to new verified information and should be updated promptly when credible reporting appears.

What this ranking tells us about the WNBA and player value

Implications for player marketability

Large, public endorsement guarantees reflect growing marketability and brand interest in WNBA stars rather than implying universal wealth across the league; they show that select players can command deals that change their annual earnings profile significantly ESPN coverage of Ionescu's shoe.

Minimal 2D vector silhouette of a generic basketball shoe on a dark Funded Plays style background for wnba player props

Those deals also create visibility that can expand opportunities for other players as brands explore further partnerships and new product lines.

Effects on league growth and visibility

When brands invest in signature products and long-term partnerships, the league often benefits from increased media attention and merchandising presence, which can feed a virtuous cycle of exposure and commercial opportunity for players and teams.

That said, endorsements shift the top-earner picture toward players with high visibility and cross-market appeal while most players continue to rely primarily on team pay and smaller sponsorships for their documented income.

Practical tips for readers tracking top earners and deals

Reliable sources to follow

Follow primary reporting from outlets that have broken and corroborated the largest deals, plus contract-tracking resources and official brand or team statements; examples of reliable places for initial coverage and contract context are ESPN, CNBC and Spotrac, along with CBS Sports and local outlets like WTHR, and our blog for additional context.

Document the date and scope of any reported figure so you can compare like with like, for example whether a number is a headline total, a guaranteed amount, or an estimated long-term value.

How to set alerts and verify reports

Set news alerts for major player names and brand announcements, and verify any headline by checking at least two reputable outlets or an established contract tracker before updating a ranking.

When a number appears on social media, look for follow-up reporting from established outlets; if no such coverage appears, treat the figure as unverified until corroborated.

Conclusion: Short summary and transparent final ranking

Top-ranked player today

Using a transparent method that combines on-court salary with publicly reported endorsement guarantees, Caitlin Clark ranks No. 1 among active WNBA players in 2024 through 2026, primarily because of the reported eight year 28 million dollar Nike agreement that includes a signature shoe ESPN report on the deal.

That placement is based on verifiable contract reporting and should be revisited if new guaranteed endorsement values or league pay changes are reported.

Key caveats to remember

Exact net-worth rankings remain unverified because private financial details are rarely disclosed; treat any ranking built from public reporting as conditional on the available evidence and subject to change when new verified information appears WNBA CBA summary.

Use the checklist and sources provided earlier to verify claims and update rankings responsibly.

References and methodology notes

Primary sources used in this article include the ESPN and CNBC reports on the Caitlin Clark Nike agreement, the WNBPA summary of the 2020 collective bargaining agreement, Spotrac contract and salary data, and ESPN coverage of Sabrina Ionescu's and A'ja Wilson's signature shoes; those documents supplied the verifiable facts that underlie our ranking and examples ESPN report on the Clark deal and Funded Plays.

Methodology note: the ranking equals on-court salary plus publicly reported or widely corroborated endorsement guarantees; we exclude speculative net-worth estimates and treat undisclosed or conditional incentives conservatively until reliable reporting provides dollar values Spotrac contract overview. See our evaluation guide at how Funded Plays evaluations work.

How do you measure "richest" for a WNBA player?

We measure.richest by combining documented on-court salary with publicly reported endorsement guarantees, excluding unverified net-worth estimates.

Does Caitlin Clark's reported Nike deal make her the top earner?

Yes, using public contract reporting Caitlin Clark ranks first because her reported Nike agreement includes a large guaranteed package.

Can rankings change quickly?

Yes, new verified endorsement announcements or changes to league pay can reorder rankings, so updates are necessary when reliable reporting appears.

For readers tracking earnings or making comparisons, prefer reputable outlet coverage and contract trackers and update rankings when new guaranteed values are reported. Treat announced but undisclosed deals as signals rather than confirmed dollar additions until reliable reporting provides numbers.