The pay disparity between NBA and WNBA players has once again returned to the forefront after news of Paige Bueckers’ rookie contract. Bueckers was the No. 1 overall pick coming out of the national championship-winning University of Connecticut Huskies team. The gifted guard was the Naismith College Player of the Year in 2021 and was named the Big East Player of the Year three times (2021, 2024, 2025).
Despite her dominance at the collegiate level, Bueckers is set to make just $78,831 in her first season as a professional with the Dallas Wings. Her salary will increase to $80,408 in her second year, with a slight bump to $88,449 in her third season.
The pay scale in the WNBA remains low compared to other sports leagues in the United States and has become a contentious issue for some of the league’s players.
Duke’s Cooper Flagg Projected To Earn More in 1 Game Than Paige Bueckers’ Season Salary
Cooper Flagg was outstanding for the Duke Blue Devils in his freshman season. The 18-year-old led the roster in almost every major category, finishing first in points (19.2), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4), blocks (1.4), and minutes (30.6).
Similar to Bueckers’ situation, Flagg is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, which is set to take place on June 25. NBA rookie deals are significantly larger than those of the WNBA, and Flagg is in line for a lucrative contract assuming he is selected as one of the top picks.
Per the media company, Complex Sports, Flagg is projected to earn $191,000 per game with his contract. The Duke forward is expected to sign a deal worth more than $60 million over four years. It is important to note that the figure is solely his NBA salary and does not include other revenue streams like endorsements and merchandise sales.
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In 2024, the Atlanta Hawks selected Zaccharie Risacher with the first pick in the draft, and the French star signed a four-year contract expected to exceed $57 million, with $25.76 million of that guaranteed.
Alex Sarr, who was the No. 2 pick behind Risacher, agreed to a $51.03 million four-year deal with the Washington Wizards.
The gap in pay between women’s and men’s players remains significant. The WNBA’s rapid growth in popularity over the last few seasons means the issue needs to be addressed.
The WNBA Players Union is currently negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement to improve salaries and benefits for players. That is set to come into place for the 2026 season.