Women’s college basketball is growing more and more as a sport. The NCAA has seen a significant boom in talent in recent years, graduating the likes of Sabrina Ionescu, Aliyah Boston and Satou Sabally to the WNBA where they have since transformed into stars of their own at the professional level.
This year is no different. A new wave is coming in a loaded 2024 WNBA draft class that consists of stars such as Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso and Aaliyah Edwards. Bottom line — the future is bright for the WNBA.
MORE: Inside the WNBA’s average salary for 2024
With that said, salaries for professional women’s basketball players has been a hot topic as of late. College athletes have been able to make a pretty penny off of NIL deals, giving these players a different path to make money rather than simply signing a pro contract.
The WNBA does not offer the monstrous deals handed out in the NBA. In fact, there is no player in the league that is making seven figures in a single year strictly off a WNBA contract. However, those playing at the highest level of women’s professional basketball have the potential to bring in six figures.
So who is making the most in the WNBA? The Sporting News takes a look at the top-10 highest-paid players for the 2024 season.
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WNBA’s top 10 highest-paid players 2024
1. Jackie Young, G, Las Vegas
- Annual salary: $ 252,450
Young was picked by the Aces first overall in 2019, and she has not disappointed. The 26-year-old guard has played an integral role in Las Vegas’ back-too-back WNBA championships. She was rewarded by the team with a two-year extension that pays her $ 252,450, making her the highest-paid women’s basketball player ever.
2. Jewell Loyd, G, Seattle
- Annual salary: $ 245,508
Another No. 1 overall selection, Loyd was the first prospect taken off the board in 2015 when the Storm selected her first overall. A two-time WNBA champion and the 2023 scoring leader, Loyd has established herself as one of the league’s most prominent scorers. For her efforts, Seattle signed her to a two-year extension that carries an annual salary of $ 245,508.
3. Kahleah Copper, G, Phoenix
- Annual salary: $ 245,059
Copper has earned her way to being the third-highest paid player for the 2024 season. A former bench player for the Washington Mystics and the Chicago Sky, the guard finally broke onto the scene in 2021, helping Chicago win the 2021 WNBA Finals and earning WNBA Finals MVP. She signed a lucrative two-year extension with the Sky in September, but was traded in February to the Mercury.
4. Arike Ogunbowale, G, Dallas
- Annual salary: $ 241,984
Ogunbowale made a name for herself at Notre Dame at the NCAA level, and her dominance has translated into the pros. A three-time All-Star and 2020 scoring title winner, the guard for Dallas signed a three-year extension with the team making her one of the highest-paid players in the league.
5. Diana Taurasi, G, Phoenix
- Annual salary: $ 234,936
Taurasi continues to defy Father Time … for now. The 41-year-old has played in the WNBA for over two decades now, entering her 20th season in the league. She has built up quite an impressive resume in that time as well, as she is a one-time league MVP, three-time WNBA champion, two-time WNBA Finals MVP and 10-time All-Star.
6. Natasha Howard, F, Dallas
- Annual salary: $ 224,675
It doesn’t matter where she has gone — Natasha Howard is a winner. The two-time All-Star has three WNBA titles to her name, including one in 2017 with Minnesota and two with Seattle in 2018 and 2020. The current Dallas forward is known for her defensive abilities, earning two All-Defensive First team selections and the 2019 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year honor.
7. Erica Wheeler, G, Indiana
- Annual salary: $ 222,154
From undrafted to one of the top earners in the WNBA, Wheeler is one of the many feel-good stories in the league. The former Rutgers star was not selected at the 2015 draft, but has carved out quite the career for herself at the professional level. The one-time All-Star inked a lucrative two-year deal with the Fever ahead of the 2023 season.
8. Brionna Jones, C, Connecticut
- Annual salary: $ 212,000
It took a couple of years for Jones to find her form, but she has since blossomed into one of the best bigs in the WNBA. She was taken No. 8 overall in 2017 by the Sun, but didn’t break out until the 2020 season in the bubble. Jones earned the 2021 Most Improved Player award and was named the 2022 Sixth Player of the Year. She is a two-time All-Star with Connecticut.
9. Skylar Diggins-Smith, G, Seattle
- Annual salary: $ 211,343
Diggins-Smith has been a staple in women’s basketball for over a decade now. After a sensational NCAA career with Notre Dame, she was taken No. 3 overall in 2013, and has since built an impressive WNBA career that consists of six All-Star selections and four All-WNBA First Team nods. Diggins-Smith signed a two-year deal in February with Seattle, making her one of the top-10 highest-paid players in the league.
10. Alyssa Thomas, F, Connecticut
- Annual salary: $ 209,000
Thomas has been a member of the Sun since 2014. She was taken No. 4 overall in the 2014 draft by New York and subsequently traded to Connecticut on draft day. The defensive stalwart has four All-Star nods and two All-Defensive First Team selections to her name, as well as being the 2023 rebounding champion and 2020 steals leader. Thomas was rewarded with a four-year extension by the Sun in 2021.
