Caitlin Clark dominated women’s college basketball for four years, and now, the point guard is bringing that same energy to the WNBA. Her former opponent, LSU Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey, highlighted Clark’s greatness and praised her after being beaten soundly in their last meeting on the court.
LSU Head Coach Kim Mulkey Reveals Her Admiration for Caitlin Clark
After winning the NCAA Championship in 2023, LSU faced the Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2024 Elite Eight. Though they had defeated Clark previously, this time around, she put on a show and led Iowa to a 94-87 win. Clark totaled 41 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds in that game.
After the contest, Mulkey couldn’t help but praise Clark.
“She’s just a generational player, and she just makes everybody around her better,” Mulkey said.
“I think they had a kid who had 21 (Kate Martin), [because Clark] had 12 assists. Caitlin Clark isn’t going to beat you by herself. It’s what she does to make those other teammates better that helps her score points and them score points to beat you.”
MORE: WNBA Analyst Credits Caitlin Clark for Recent Surge in League’s Popularity
During her college career, Clark averaged 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. And during her rookie WNBA season, she kept up that same level of play. She averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists in 40 games last season, leading the Indiana Fever to the playoffs in the process.
Mulkey admitted that she told Clark after the game she was happy it would be the last time LSU had to face her.
“What did I say to her [after the game]? I said, ‘I sure am glad you leaving,'” Mulkey admitted. “I said, ‘Girl, you something else. Never seen anything like it.'”
Clark’s WNBA Contract and Salary
After leaving Iowa, Clark became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and had a terrific rookie season with the Indiana Fever. The phenom has played a huge role in the WNBA’s surging popularity and new TV deal, yet she isn’t seeing much of that money.
The league recently signed an 11-year, $2.2 billion TV deal with Disney, Amazon Prime, and NBC, set to begin in 2026. But despite all this success, WNBA salaries remain far lower than those of their male counterparts.
Despite Clark’s incredible rookie season, her WNBA salary paints a stark picture of the league’s current pay structure. As a rookie, she signed a four-year contract worth approximately $338,056. Here’s how that breaks down:
- 2024: $76,535
- 2025: $78,066
- 2026: $86,873
- 2027: $97,582 (with a team option for the final year)
To put WNBA contracts in perspective, Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, signed a four-year, $57 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks, with an average salary of $14.25 million. Despite being drafted in the exact same position as Clark, Risacher is making far more, and a lot of casual fans probably don’t even know who he is.
An NBA rookie on a minimum deal for the 2024-25 season earns well over $1 million, meaning that even a minimum NBA contract would match Clark’s annual WNBA salary in just six games.
In fact, even two-way NBA players are making significantly more than Clark. For the 2024-25 NBA season, two-way players are earning $578,577 — more than Clark will make over the duration of her four-year contract.
Recently, Clark’s agent said that the WNBA will never be able to pay the Indiana Fever star her actual worth given what she’s bringing to the league in terms of interest and visibility.
“Will Caitlin Clark ever be paid by the WNBA what she’s really worth to that league? I don’t think that’s possible,” Erin Kane told ESPN.
Caitlin Clark’s Influence on WNBA Attendance and Broadcast Exposure
The WNBA has obviously added new fans since Clark entered the league, and many teams have shifted Fever games to larger venues to keep up with ticket demand as a result. For instance, Indiana’s final regular-season game drew 20,711 fans and helped break the league’s attendance record, showing how Clark’s arrival has boosted in-person viewership.
Television numbers are also way up, with the Fever set to have 41 of their 44 games broadcast next season — a record-high national TV slate for a WNBA team and more than any NBA team this year. The heavy coverage shows just how much attention Clark has brought to her career and the league overall.
The “Caitlin Clark effect” is doing two big things — raising attendance at Fever games and building deeper engagement with women’s basketball. The bigger crowds and interest have pushed WNBA franchises to ramp up their marketing, possibly laying the foundation for long-term growth in visibility and revenue.