Have a look at the average NBA players salary vs those in the WNBA along with the league’s profit and revenue
WNBA players recently made a bold statement during the All-Star Game warmups in Indianapolis by wearing t shirts with the message “Pay us what you owe us.”
The match had over 16,000 fans in attendance and millions watching from home, with Team Clark and Team Collier wearing matching shirts against the ongoing contract disputes.
What is the highest, minimum and average WNBA players salary range per year compared to the NBA and salary cap details
WNBA All-Stars took the court in warm-up shirts that read “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”
Meanwhile, the league lost an estimated $50 million in 2024 alone—and has never reported a profit since its founding in 1997.
What exactly do they believe they’re owed? You don’t get rewarded for… pic.twitter.com/wzsXT9irdb— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) July 20, 2025
WNBA players making a statement at the All-Star game:
“Pay us what you owe us.” pic.twitter.com/AL1uf7lfEB
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 20, 2025
The players chose to protest during the high-profile stage in order to push back against stalled negotiations with the league.
WNBA players protest against league with messages on shirts
Several WNBA players recently protested against the league regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) during the warmups ahead of the All-Star Game. Every player on both Team Clark and Team Collier wore shirts that read “Pay us what you owe us.” The All-Star Game is one of the last big stages before the regular season wraps in September, and it served as a perfect platform to unify and amplify their demands.
Reason behind the WNBA players’ protest
The players were reportedly demanding better pay, benefits, and a revenue model that reflects the WNBA’s growth. It reportedly stemmed from frustration over stalled collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations. Over 40 players had recently met with the WNBA leadership just days before the All-Star Game, with the hopes of making progress toward a new deal. However, the talks failed to deliver results as the two groups couldn’t come to an agreement.
Last October, the players opted out of their previous CBA and are now pushing for a stronger revenue-sharing model with higher salaries, better benefits, and a looser salary cap. Nneka Ogwumike, who is the WNBPA president and Seattle Storm forward, explained:
We want a better share where our salaries grow with the business, not just a fixed percentage over time.”
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier also stated:
We want a bigger piece of the pie that we helped create.”
WNBA players currently get just 9.3% of league revenue, while NBA players earn nearly 50% of basketball-related income. Most players see this imbalance as outdated, particularly with the WNBA’s current success.
WNBA undergoing rapid growth
The WNBA has recently seen an upward trajectory in the past few years, with a $2.2 billion media deal, expansion fees topping $250 million, and three new franchises (Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia) joining the league. The 2024 season reportedly smashed records in viewership, attendance, and merchandise sales.
Despite all this success, the money has reportedly not trickled down, as the average WNBA salary still stands at $102,249, while the max is just under $250,000. Meanwhile, in comparison, NBA players average over $13 million a year, while the NBA’s lowest-paid players make $1.27 million.
Each WNBA team works with a salary cap of $1,507,100 and there is also a required $1,261,440 minimum to spend. Per the current operating CBA, the league’s super-maximum is $249,244.
WNBA players currently receive 9.3% of the leagues revenue (this includes ticket sales, merch, TV deals) while for reference the share for their male counterparts in the NBA is 50.0%. The WNBA had signed a $2.2B TV deal for the 2025 season.
This resulted in their salary cap being set at just 1.507 million for this year. Las Vegas Aces’ guard Jackie Young is the highest-paid player in the WNBA with an annual average salary of $252,450.
WNBA salaries range from the league minimum of $66,079 to the maximum of $249,244.
WNBA has never turned a profit in its 28-year history and while pre-2023 annual losses hovered around $10 million, 2024 saw that number balloon to $50 million, even as league revenues grew to over $200 million.
The NBA, which owns approximately 60% of the WNBA, has been subsidizing those losses since the league’s inception in 1997 and the WNBA’s operational existence depends on that support.