Caitlin Clark ended the debate of whether she would declare for the WNBA Draft when she announced Thursday she will forgo a potential fifth year at Iowa and turn professional following her senior season.
A question that remains is what Clark’s decision means for her financially. In the new college basketball landscape, where athletes are allowed to profit off their name, image and likeness, Clark doesn’t have to go pro to make money, but she’ll have more opportunities to do so once she becomes a professional.
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What will Clark’s salary be as a rookie?
The base salary for a rookie selected in the lottery — spoiler, that’s where Clark will be picked as the No. 1 selection — is $78,006 in her first season. On top of that, the Rookie of the Year award winner receives a bonus of $5,150, All-Stars make $2,575, and there are additional incentives for the 3-point contest champion and playoff participants, all of which are possibilities for Clark in her first year.
If Clark, 22, decides to play overseas, that contract would become another source of income. The Athletic reported during the 2022-23 offseason that a handful of players made upwards of half a million dollars internationally during that time….
