Copyright Athlon Sports
In large part due to the emergence of second-year Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s popularity is at an all-time high. However, they aren’t the only league that is trying to ride the wave of interest from fans in women’s basketball. WNBA players having to play for other teams in the offseason isn’t uncommon, as many players in the past have gone overseas to earn more money. According to Front Office Sports, the lowest-paid players in the WNBA earn around $80,000, while the supermax under the current CBA is $249,244. This past year saw the launch of a 3-on-3 league called Unrivaled, which reported a median salary of $220,000. A number that is expected to rise again this season. So, despite being the face of the WNBA and arguably women’s athletics as a whole, Clark’s best chance to earn a significant payday on the court is outside of the league. However, Unrivaled won’t be able to claim that they are the highest-paying women’s sports league for that much longer. As revealed in the FOS report, Project B is emerging as the next women’s hoops league and is set to give players an astronomical payday. The first known player to sign on to partake in the league that is set to host tournaments around the world is former WNBA MVP and Seattle Storm star, Nneka Ogwumike. As reported by FOS’ Annie Costabile, the starting salary for Project B will start at a whopping $2 million. “Those same sources said multiple stars are being offered seven-figure salaries starting at $2 million annually, with their earnings for multiyear deals reaching eight figures,” wrote In addition, players will receive equity in the league, similar to Unrivaled.” While Ogwumike is currently the lone name to have signed with the league, the report also revealed that other WNBA players have also signed on. As touched on by Costabile, there is a growing fear around the WNBA that if the CBA negotiations work out, players may forgo playing with the WNBA altogether if they can be a part of Project B. Some notable investors of the league, which is set to launch in November 2026, are WNBA legend Candace Parker, as well as tennis superstars Novak Djokovic and Sloane Stephens. If Unrivaled’s emergence wasn’t already a wakeup call for the WNBA, a league threatening its existence should do the trick.
