Paige Bueckers, Cooper Flagg Pay Gap Gets Attention From Satou Sabally 10 Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Paige Bueckers on the orange carpet before the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers, Cooper Flagg Pay Gap Gets Attention From Satou Sabally

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Dan Agulto | Last updated May 2, 2025 1:44 PM ET

Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers got support from a WNBA colleague with regard to the topic of pay gap versus her NBA rookie counterpart, who is expected to be Duke star Cooper Flagg.

In a story she shared on Instagram, Phoenix Mercury small forward Satou Sabally pointed out the huge pay gap between Paige Bueckers, who was drafted by the Dallas Wings, and Cooper Flagg, who has declared for the NBA draft is is widely expected to be the first overall pick as well.

The pay gap between NBA and WNBA players remains one of the most debated issues in professional basketball. While the WNBA has seen significant growth in viewership and revenue, its players still earn substantially less than their NBA counterparts.

Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, and Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, highlights this disparity—Flagg is expected to earn $15.6 million in his rookie season, while Bueckers will make just $87,000 under her rookie contract with the Dallas Wings.

This gap is largely due to differences in league revenue, sponsorship deals, and media coverage, with the NBA generating billions annually, while the WNBA operates on a much smaller financial scale.

Despite the WNBA’s rising popularity, its salary structure remains restrictive. The league operates under a fixed rookie wage scale, meaning top draft picks like Bueckers have little room for negotiation.

Paige Bueckers, Cooper Flagg Pay Gap Gets Attention From Satou Sabally 11 Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Paige Bueckers is interviewed by ESPN after being selected with the number one overall pick to the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In contrast, NBA rookies sign multi-million-dollar contracts, benefiting from the league’s lucrative TV deals and sponsorships. The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA), signed in 2020, has improved salaries and benefits, but players still struggle to earn wages comparable to their NBA peers.

Paige Bueckers Gets Reality Check on Practice With Dallas Wings Teammates

As she stars practice and training camp with her terammates at the Dallas Wings, rookie Paige Bueckers gets a dose of reality check on the difference of college basketball and a game with the pros.

“Honestly, screens I got hit by,” Bueckers said about the biggest difference she felt. That would be like the first, like, ‘Wow, yeah, this is different.’”

“And obviously, the floor is a little shrinked, you’ve got defensive three seconds in the lane, offensive three seconds in the lane. So that’s a little bit different. And then the pace, and obviously the physicality of stuff they let go in the W.”

I asked Paige Bueckers about the biggest difference between college and pros so far…

“Those screens I got hit with today.” #WNBA #WNBATwitter @DallasWings pic.twitter.com/AYQD2YgBMe

— Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) April 27, 2025

Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd Commended By Gordon Ramsay In UConn Title Run 3 Apr 6, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Kaitlyn Chen (20) and guard Paige Bueckers (5) celebrates after winning the national championship of the women’s 2025 NCAA tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers spent her entire college career with the UConn Huskies and brought them to a championship win in her final season.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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