FANS were shocked to learn how “little” WNBA players earn for playing in the big All-Star game.
The likes of Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese and Napheesa Collier were named as All-Stars, with captains Clark and Collier set to select teams on Tuesday ahead of the July 19 match-up.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are seen playing in the WNBA All-Star Game last season[/caption]
Clark and Napheesa Collier are the two team captains[/caption]
But as reported by Front Office Sports, players will receive just a bonus of just $2,575 from the league – whether or not their team wins or not.
The MVP of the game will earn an additional $5,150, while the champions of the three-point contest and skill competitions will receive $2,575 each.
But WNBA All-Stars’ pockets will also be lined a bit more by Aflac, who will be paying out a total of $115,000 to individual contest winners.
The three-point contest winner will earn an additional $60,000 from the insurance company, while the skills competition winner will take home $55,000.
Fever guard Clark, who is currently sidelined with a groin injury, might not be fit enough to play in the All-Star game, held at her home arena Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
She has missed Indiana’s last five games, having already sat out a further five earlier in the season because of a left quad strain.
While Clark is being assessed day-to-day, Fever head coach Stephanie White has made clear that the 23-year-old will only return when she is back to full fitness.
The WNBA’s All-Star bonus is 2.1 per cent of the league’s average salary, which is $117,133 according to a report from The Athletic.
WNBA 2025 All-Star Roster
Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier have been named captains of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.
Guards:
- Paige Bueckers* – Dallas Wings
- Caitlin Clark* – Indiana Fever
- Sabrina Ionescu* – New York Liberty
- Allisha Gray* – Atlanta Dream
- Kelsey Mitchell – Indiana Fever
- Skylar Diggins – Seattle Storm
- Kelsey Plum – Los Angeles Sparks
- Brittany Sykes – Washington Mystics
- Natasha Cloud – New York Liberty
- Jackie Young – Las Vegas Aces
Frontcourt:
- Napheesa Collier* – Minnesota Lynx
- A’ja Wilson* – Las Vegas Aces
- Breanna Stewart* – New York Liberty
- Aliyah Boston* – Indiana Fever
- Nneka Ogwumike* – Seattle Storm
- Satou Sabally* – Phoenix Mercury
- Angel Reese – Chicago Sky
- Kiki Iriafen – Washington Mystics
- Gabby Williams – Seattle Storm
- Alyssa Thomas – Phoenix Mercury
*Voted as a starter
That amount pales in comparison to what their NBA counterparts make for getting an All-Star nod.
This year’s NBA All-Star Game had a prize pool of $1.8million, with players making a minimum of $25,000 each in the new format.
Players on the runner-up team made $50,000, while the winning team made $125,000 each.
It’s likely that the WNBA‘s All-Star payouts will increase after the players’ union negotiates a new collective bargaining agreement.
Players opted out of the current deal a year early back in October, and have until October 31 to negotiate a new deal.
Fans were left stunned after learning how much the WNBA plans to play it’s All-Stars this year.
One raged on X: “Lmao $2,000?? Come on that’s horrible.”
A second said: “Peanuts.”
A third added: “There’s just so many weird disparities that need to balance out.”
Due to last year being an Olympic year, the All-Star game was turned into the WNBA All-Stars vs the USA team.
And, led by Arike Ogunbowale, the WNBA group beat the Olympic team 117-109 – a few weeks before the latter won gold at Paris 2024.
Arike Ogunbowale’s WNBA team beat the USA Olympic team before Paris 2024[/caption]
