Just because Angel Reese is a big deal doesn’t mean she’s making big bucks, oddly enough. After a record-breaking year, the Chicago Sky forward has cemented herself as a veritable talent and a rising star. But she can’t pay her rent on her talent alone.
“I just hope y’all know the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all. I don’t even think that pays one of my bills,” Reese said on Instagram live this week. Her salary stands at $73,439. “Does that even pay my car note,” Reese jokingly asked.
Doing some quick math, Reese disclosed that she pays $8,000 monthly for rent, which comes out to $96,000 annually. “I’m living beyond my means like y’all think,” she said, laughing. While Reese’s lifestyle might be unaffordable for most Americans, her story highlights the disparity within the sports world.
Interest in the WNBA has skyrocketed as of late, a phenomenon in part attributed to rookies such as Reese and Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark. Some tune in for those dynamics alone. “People watch for compelling content and rivalries,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said on 60 Minutes.
Even so, this rising popularity has yet to fully reach the wallets of players. In the NBA, the top rookie of the current season will make around $12.6 million and the final pick will make a still hefty $2.5 million, according to Sport’s Illustrated. Clark, the first pick of this year’s WNBA, has a starting salary of $76,535.
“That WNBA check don’t pay a thing,” said Reese on her Instagram Live. Her endorsements are really what make a difference, as Reese called her check “a bonus” to her other streams of income when speaking to ESPN.
Legendary former basketball player Sue Bird said at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit said “the money is around the corner,” mentioning that women’s leagues have signed massive media deals. “I pretty much lost money playing in the WNBA,” she said, mentioning inflation.
Where WNBA stars actually make their money
All-star athletes are forced to other means to afford their lifestyle to pad their salaries. Many turn to making deals that use their likeness. Reese, for instance, worked with brands from Goldman Sachs to Reebok and Airbnb in college. These partnerships were valued at $1.8 million in total by On3.
Reese also plans to participate in a three-on-three league called Unrivaled, a choice she made in part to make extra money without having to travel globally….
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