As we settle into the 2025 WNBA season, there’s an elephant in the room — and no, it’s not the New York Liberty’s mascot, Ellie. It’s compensation. Or more specifically, the persistent and staggering gap between what WNBA players earn and what their male counterparts in the NBA are paid.

For decades, the size of the gender pay gap in professional sports has been a tough pill to swallow. In 2023, 58% of female athletes earned less than $25,000 annually from their sport, according to a December 2024 report from Parity. In women’s basketball specifically, the gap is becoming more frustrating than ever, especially as the WNBA continues to experience unprecedented growth. As more people tune in to watch the WNBA, the contrast is becoming harder to ignore — and certainly harder to justify.

Let’s begin with some context.

The NBA’s salary cap sits at $154 million per team. In contrast, the WNBA’s cap is just $1.5 million per team. In 2024, No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Caitlin Clark signed a rookie deal that was just shy of $77,000. Victor Wembanyama, the NBA’s top pick that same year? His rookie contract was worth $12.2 million. At this point, even NBA mascots are out-earning WNBA players. Rocky, the Denver Nuggets’........

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