Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark has already taken the WNBA by storm. After being the most talked about commodity in sports for months, she is now set to begin her professional career.
One of the biggest storylines since she was drafted No. 1 overall on Monday night has been how small her WNBA contract actually is going to be. Not many people realized how little these players actually make.
However, another big storyline that has broken is about her massive new deal coming with Nike.
More details have been revealed about the deal. Shams Charania of The Athletic has stated that it would be “fair to say” that the deal with Nike will pay Clark more than $20 million.
“It's fair to say it's above $20 Million.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 18, 2024
– @ShamsCharania on Caitlin Clark’s shoe deal with Nike pic.twitter.com/O4Qt8i5TVH
Being able to lock in a $20 million deal with Nike will soften the blow that the rookie WNBA contract carries with it. It’s a true piece of evidence about the lack of parity between men’s and women’s sports. Hopefully, this becoming so public will help the WNBA figure out how to bring in more money to afford bigger deals.
Caitlin Clark is going to be a huge part of growing the WNBA. There has never been more attention being paid to women’s basketball than now. She has completely transfixed the nation and the world with her game.
It’s easy to talk about Clark and her success, but there are many other amazing women playing in the WNBA for way less than they deserve. Let’s not get distracted from seeing how widespread this issue actually is right now.
All of that being said, our congratulations go out to Clark for her deal with Nike. This is truly a massive moment for both her and women’s sports worldwide.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!