Yes, her WNBA contract is laughable by professional standards, but rest assured, Caitlin Clark is getting her bag – and it’s a big one. Clark will reportedly sign an eight-year, $28-million deal (that’s annually about ten times what she’s being paid to suit up for the Indiana Fever) with Nike, and on top of the money, she’ll be getting her own signature shoe. Clark is one of the hottest names in sports at the moment, with multiple suitors for her name and face – and she knows her own worth. Under Armour had reportedly offered Clark $16-million over four years, while Adidas proposed $6-million over four years, though Clark passed on those deals. Puma was also briefly in talks with the hoops star but dropped out after learning Clark Caitlin Clark's WNBA contract may seem meagre, but she's set to earn big bucks. Reportedly, Nike will offer her an eight-year, $28-million deal, which is ten times more than what she is currently being paid by the Indiana Fever. In addition to the money, she'll have her own signature shoe. Other companies, including Under Armour and Adidas, also made offers, but Clark turned them down as she knew her worth. Puma was also interested, but backed out when they learned that Clark was seeking at least $3 million annually.
It's worth noting that there's still a significant gender disparity in sports sponsorship. While Clark's deal is record-breaking for WNBA players, it pales in comparison to what some NBA rookies received when they first entered the league. For instance, LeBron James signed a seven-year, $90-million deal with Nike after his senior year of high school in 2003. The same year, Carmelo Anthony joined the Jordan Brand for $40 million over six years. Three years later, Kevin Durant signed a $60-million, seven-year contract with Nike. So, while Clark is getting paid well, there's still a long way to go for women athletes.was seeking at least $3-million per year in any deal.
There is still a lot of ground to be made up when it comes to gender disparity in these matters. While Clark's deal is a record for WNBA players, it is still significantly lower than what some NBA rookies received when they first entered the league. LeBron James signed a seven-year, $90-million deal with Nike after his senior year of high school in 2003. That same year, Carmelo Anthony joined the Jordan Brand for $40-million over six years. Three years later, Kevin Durant signed on with Nike for $60-million over seven years. So yes, Clark’s getting paid – but there still a lot of progress yet to be made for women athletes.