“Can’t come close”: ESPN’s Michael Wilbon compares Iowa star Caitlin Clark’s $818,000 NIL earnings to her… potential WNBA salary
With Gatorade, Nike, and other brands lining her coffers while attending college, Caitlin Clark is killing the endorsement game. However, WNBA contract restrictions mean that, despite Clark’s star power, her professional earnings would be negligible in comparison to her NIL payouts, according to ESPN’s Michael Wilbon.
After accounting for endorsements, Clark’s net worth from her NIL deals with companies like Nike, Gatorade, and State Farm is estimated to be $818,000, more than ten times her salary. If Clark were to play in the WNBA next season, her salary would be much higher, according to ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser, who made this statement on Monday’s “Pardon the Interruption.”
“It’s fortunate that Caitlin Clark and countless others can receive that money thanks to the NIL arrangements, notwithstanding their contentious nature. Because in this particular instance the WNBA cannot even come close to it,” Wilbon stated. And it will be interesting to watch how it develops in comparison to NIL deals and what those potentially pay, as well as the league.
Despite the fact that Clark’s bank account could feel lighter in the WNBA, her star power might bring in significant endorsements to lessen the damage. Even with smaller professional salaries, her marketing appeal might bring in more money than it did during her college years.
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Caitlin Clark was added to the watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award.
Caitlin Clark was put on the watch list and is aiming to become one of the select few to win a third consecutive Nancy Lieberman Award. A third straight victory would solidify her status as one of the greatest college floor generals in history.
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In basketball, one of the most coveted positional awards is the Nancy Lieberman Award. Awarded in honor of the Basketball Hall of Famer, it goes to the finest point guard in the country who exemplifies Lieberman’s playmaking, leadership, and ball handling abilities.
Legends like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Courtney Vandersloot, and Sabrina Ionescu are among the past victors. Bird owns the record, having won three in a row between 2000 and 2002.
Clark has smashed records in the last two seasons to win back-to-back titles. She is now the front-runner for the Lieberman Award in 2023 and wants to continue her history by matching Bird’s three-peat.
With his outstanding play, Clark has helped No. 5 Iowa (18-2) become the most successful team in Division I with an average of 31.7 points per game. She is the most prolific offensive player in the game, ranking second nationally with 7.7 assists per game.
