Top 10 Richest WNBA Players: Networth, Salary and More

The richest WNBA players were able to become wealthy through a combination of their league salary, endorsements, overseas earnings from international pro teams, and personal investments or side businesses. The players with the highest salaries are not necessarily the richest WNBA players of all time.

This article aims to look at the players with the highest net worth and their income sources off the court. According to Spotrac, Jackie Young was the highest-paid WNBA player as of 2024 with an annual salary of $252,450. Despite this, she does not even make it to the list, highlighting the significance of these endorsements and earnings beyond the sport.

List of 10 Richest WNBA Players

There have been multiple mega stars throughout the history of the WNBA, and among the controversies about the wage gap between men and women basketball athletes , here is a list of absolute ballers that have made sure their skills were appreciated in monetary terms as well:

WNBA players are known in the community to be underpaid for their art, and many in the field are still struggling financially. This being said, the level of the game has now improved so drastically that even the haters cannot help but acknowledge the greatness of these ladies. Players like Caitlin Clark and the new upcoming rising star of the 2025 April draft, Paige Bueckers, have made new waves in terms of hype and overall growth of the league with sheer numbers. Let's have a look at the top players throughout the history of the league in terms of making cheddar.

#10: Sheryl Swoopes ($300 Thousand)

Sheryl Swoopes is an American former professional basketball player who has a net worth of $300 thousand. Sheryl Swoopes was the first person signed to play in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and she was named WNBA MVP three times. She has also taken up the role of a coach in the later years of her career. Sheryl also starred in the 1995 instructional video "Swoopes on Hoops" and voiced herself in 2019's "The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. Unfortunately, Sheryl Swoopes filed for bankruptcy in 2004 as a result of mismanaging her money, and bankruptcy records revealed that she owed more than $700,000 at the time, including $275,000 to the IRS.

#9: Angel Reese ($1.5 Million)

Angel Reese is a star forward for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, and she's got the budding net worth to prove it. Angel Reese had some corrections to make after hearing claims about her net worth. While speaking as a guest at ComplexCon in Las Vegas, Reese was interviewed by host Speedy Morman, who brought up the WNBA star's financial accomplishments since she was drafted by the Chicago Sky. Morman mentioned Reese's estimated $2 million net worth, which she quickly corrected, according to Sports Illustrated. With a slew of lucrative deals with big brands like Reebok and McDonald’s, the young hooper is out to build an empire. Marketing herself as a bankable public figure, Angel Reese is playing the right cards to reel in maximum monetary benefits. While there’s been widespread speculation about her net worth, Reese wasn’t shy about setting the record straight about her earnings when the occasion arose. Reese, with her business and financial acumen, would soon turn to be one of the richest WNBA player in the sporting world.

#8: Cynthia Cooper ($2 Million)

Cynthia Cooper is an American basketball coach and former professional basketball player who has a net worth of $2 million. She is best known for being one of the best women's basketball players of all time. She was a 5'10" point guard and shooting guard who played at Locke High School. She is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. She has also dabbled as a coach with the Phoenix Mercury, Prairie View A&M, UNC Wilmington, Texas Southern, and USC, and was named CAA Coach of the Year in 2010. Cooper also won a gold medal with USA Basketball in 1987. She is a certified “OG” in the world of WNBA hoops.

#7: Caitlin Clark ($5 Million)

Caitlin Clark, a rising star in women’s basketball, has made waves with her impressive performances and record-breaking achievements. Naturally, fans are curious to know how much money she makes. Caitlin Clark is a professional basketball player for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. She earns money through her WNBA salary, endorsement deals, and various brand partnerships. She’s the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer across both men’s and women’s basketball. Caitlin is also making history as the first female athlete to launch her own collection with Wilson Sporting Goods, showcasing her growing influence in the sports world. While her earnings are impressive, they pale in comparison to those of NBA stars like Stephen Curry, who rakes in around $52 million annually. This stark contrast highlights the ongoing disparities in compensation between men's and women's sports, despite the remarkable talent present in leagues like the WNBA.

#6: Breanna Stewart ($5 Million)

Breanna Stewart ranks fourth on the list with a gross net worth of $5 million. She signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Nike even before starting her WNBA career. In 2021, just 5 years after the Nike deal, she switched and became a signature athlete with Puma. Puma launched her first signature shoe, Stewie1, in 2022. It was just the start of a whole collection of shoes dedicated to her. Breanna also made a good fortune from the sport itself. She was drafted as the 1st overall pick in 2016 and was also the WNBA 2016 Rookie of the Year. According to reports, Stewart has recently extended her contract with the New York Liberty below the regular 2024 maximum salary of $208,219. Breanna also competed in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympics and won a total of 3 gold medals, amounting to the relevant monetary awards as well. US gold medalists were awarded $38,000 per medal, as per CNBC. Her huge financial successes are due to her shrewd business deals and WNBA contracts.

#5: Brittney Griner ($5 Million)

Brittney Griner has an estimated net worth of $5 million. During her ten-year tenure, she has accumulated a total of about $1.3 million in WNBA earnings as per Spotrac. Griner has also signed an exclusive deal with Disney, ESPN, and ABC for series and documentary rights. She expanded her horizons by launching her own brand, BG32, which offers stylish clothing and accessories. Investment in Real Estate has also been a comfortable source of income for her. According to Capitalism.com, her 4000 square feet luxury home in Houston, Texas, was bought by Zoe Kravitz for a price of $4 million. Griner has a keen interest in luxury cars, illustrated by her wide array of car collections. Her Collection includes the Audi E Tron, Range Rover, Jeep Wrangler, etc.

#4: Lisa Leslie ($5 Million)

Lisa Leslie is a WNBA Hall of Famer, known for her dominance as a center and for being the first player to dunk in a WNBA game. Off the court, Leslie's star power translated into lucrative endorsement deals with major brands, making her one of the WNBA's first true marketing superstars. She served as a prominent Nike spokeswoman (even launching her own Nike Air Total 9 signature shoe in 1998) and capitalized on her championship success with endorsements like Sony PlayStation 2, ESPN, Kraft Foods, and Gatorade (for which she filmed national TV commercials). By 2003, her agent noted that Leslie was "making well into the seven figures now" from endorsements – a rare income level for a female team-sport athlete at the time. She currently coaches the Triplets team in the men's BIG3 league, where she and Nancy Lieberman are the only female head coaches of professional men's basketball teams. She is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics, including Basketball, College, and Sports Motivation.

#3: Diana Taurasi ($7 Million)

Diana Taurasi, also known as “White Mamba,” charts third on the list. There is not much information about her endorsements in the public domain, but she has been seen promoting various brands on her social media. These include TwelveBooks, Bodyarmor, Cox Communications, Nike, and JBL. Approximating $7 million of net worth, Taurasi is expected to have enjoyed an appropriate basketball career and resourceful business undertakings. The 3 times WNBA champion re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury in 2021 for at least 2 years and a guaranteed $469,872. Year in and year out, she has astoundingly remained one of the highest earners in the league. She also earned a huge lump of her salary when she played overseas in Russia. It is speculated that Diana earned more than $1 million for taking part in a single season in Russia. According to Realtor.com, one of her houses is in Manhattan Beach and is valued at about $3.3 million.

#2: Candace Parker ($8.1 Million)

Candace Parker is among the most stylish and influential WNBA players. Her annual earnings from off-court ventures are more than double her salary across her 15 years in the WNBA. Parker has accumulated a whopping $8.1 million in net worth during her career. Her name has been on the list of the Richest WNBA players for quite some time now. Candace has been a part of a wide variety of endorsement deals, namely Adidas, Gatorade, Subway, and NBA2K. Notably, Parker was the first woman on the cover of NBA2K. In an exclusive she gave to AP News, she commented, “Representation matters, so this is a special moment of progress for the sport and the series. To be part of this historic cover is a testament to the growth and rising popularity of the women’s game, and I’m proud to be the first female cover athlete to be the face of NBA 2K.”. Her inspirational journey has also encouraged many female athletes to believe in themselves and embark on their basketball journey.

#1: Sue Bird ($10 Million)

Sue Bird is number 1 on the list of richest WNBA players with a net worth ranging between $8 million to $10 million. She is a part of the ownership group of the Seattle Storm. Her Sports media brand TOGETHXR also clocked a profit of $3 million in the recent year as per Awful Announcing. Bird started attracting endorsements in a very early stage of her career. Her endorsement deals include: Nike, State Farm, Symetra, American Express, Corona, and CarMax.Sue earned a total of $2.4 million during her time in the WNBA, placing her on the list of the most well-paid athletes in WNBA history. The five-time Olympic gold medalist also has an exceptional real estate IQ. She has properties in Connecticut, LA, New York, and Israel. Bird has truly capitalized on her long-stretching career in the WNBA.