Dear WNBA,
Caitlin Clark would never write this letter. She'd never remind you how many tickets she's helped sell, how many people she's brought to television screens, or how much money has followed her into women's basketball. She'd certainly never look at another player's paycheck and take credit for it.
So, as her fans, we'll do the uncomfortable part for her.
You're welcome.
And to be clear, this isn't directed at the overwhelming majority of WNBA players who compete against Caitlin, respect her, and understand exactly what is happening to their sport. It's for the very few who have publicly seemed bothered by the attention, the crowds, the coverage or the fans who followed No. 22 into the league.
We have a question.
Have you looked at your paycheck?
In 2025, the WNBA supermax was about $249,000. In 2026, it's $1.4 million. The team salary cap went from roughly $1.5 million to $7 million. The new CBA represents a transformation in how WNBA players are compensated.
As of the 2026 WNBA season, the new CBA has dramatically changed the salary scale. The supermax cap hit is $1.4 million, with the regular maximum at $1.19 million. Her Hoop Stats
The top salaries/cap in 2026:
| Player | Team | 2026 salary |
|---|---|---|
| A’ja Wilson | Las Vegas Aces | $1.4M |
| Napheesa Collier | Minnesota Lynx | $1.4M |
| Kelsey Mitchell | Indiana Fever | $1.4M |
| Ezi Magbegor | Seattle Storm | $1.25M |
| Kahleah Copper | Phoenix Mercury | $1.20M |
| Marina Mabrey | Toronto Tempo | $1.20M |
| Alyssa Thomas | Phoenix Mercury | $1.20M |
| Sabrina Ionescu | New York Liberty | $1.19M |
| Breanna Stewart | New York Liberty | $1.19M |
| Arike Ogunbowale | Dallas Wings | $1.19M |
There are several others tied at $1.19M, including Jackie Young, Brittney Griner, Jonquel Jones, Allisha Gray, Kayla McBride, and others.
No, Caitlin Clark didn't do that alone. The union negotiated it. Generations of women built this league. Today's stars earned it.
But let's not pretend the timing is irrelevant.
The WNBA spent years asking for more attention, more television viewers, more ticket buyers, more corporate investment, and more mainstream sports fans.
Then Caitlin Clark showed up.
And she brought them.
We watched it happen in Iowa City, where women's basketball became appointment television and sold-out arenas became normal. We watched it happen in Indianapolis, where Fever games became events and No. 22 helped create an economic ripple that stretched well beyond the arena. We watched Nike make one of the largest investments ever in a women's basketball player and then build an entire signature brand around her.
And most importantly, we watched it happen everywhere the Fever traveled.
That's the part worth remembering.
The Clark Effect didn't only make money for Caitlin Clark.
It made money for women's basketball.
That's how sports economics work. More people watching means more valuable broadcasts. More people attending means more valuable franchises. More merchandise, sponsorships and cultural relevance mean more revenue.
And eventually, more revenue means bigger paychecks.
Which brings us back to those few people who have occasionally seemed annoyed that Caitlin gets too much attention.
We understand. The circus can probably be exhausting. Not every question needs to be about Caitlin Clark. Not every accomplishment by another great player needs to be viewed through the prism of No. 22.
But attention isn't a finite resource.
Caitlin didn't take your spotlight.
She brought a bigger spotlight.
And now the league's best players can make $1.4 million instead of $249,000.
Caitlin would never connect those dots herself. That's part of what makes her Caitlin. She talks about her teammates. She praises her opponents. She talks about growing the game. When people have used her name to attack other players, she's explicitly rejected it. She once put it simply: “I'm just here to play basketball.”
We know, Caitlin.
So we'll handle this one.
To the WNBA players getting the biggest raises in league history: Congratulations. You earned them.
To the generations of women who built the WNBA: Thank you.
And to the handful still wondering why everybody keeps talking about that Hawkeye from Iowa...
Check the attendance.
Check the ratings.
Check the revenue.
Then check your direct deposit.
You're welcome.
With love,
Caitlin Clark fans everywhere.
109 comments
Caitlin I love that you spend time to sign autographs before and after game. I love the you give back the community in many ways. You are always true yourself. Remember God is with you, love Annie and Paul Gator 🐊
¡Hola, Caitlin!
From Bilbao, Spain:
Thank you very much for making the world a more beautiful place. Eternally grateful.
all the best!
Cristina, 6 October 2026
I recently just started watching basketball and the reason I watched it was because of Claitin, she made a love basketball and seeing it in a different angle.. Hey Claitin I just wanna say I love you and I can’t wait to watch you play again. I’m from Nigeria btw
Oppppps!!!
Miss Caitlin
I forgot in my post to say – Thank You!
💪 💕
Dear Miss Caitlin
I came across the WNBA, this July, while browsing on YouTube, via watching your record breaking point scoring in the NCAA.
I had never rated basketball as a sport to watch before, but, watching you, along with Sophie Cunningham and others play, got me hooked!
I am now trying to catch up with WNBA and NBA past games.
I wish you all the best!
A rookie fan from the UK.
Hey CC,
You make me believe anything is possible. 🥺Keep going, keep trusting yourself and keep drowning out all the noise. You’ve already shown us what happens when you believe in yourself and keep pushing forward. I’ll keep cheering you on every step of the way( even though my time zone makes my shift difficult 😂). Thank you for just being you and doing what you love best and bringing all of us joy while at it.
With love from Ghana 🇬🇭
Hi Caitlin.
Big fan – all the way from India here. Just want to say – you have something rare and unique – you play the game with such joy and passion – never lose that. You have millions of fans all around the world and we are always rooting for you. Just like you shoot your 3s from incredible distances, we are also cheering you from a long way away – watching you play in the middle of the night or early morning our time.
Wishing you the best, always !
- AP
Dear CC,
Thank you! Thank you for introducing me to women basketball. When that whole thing happened between you and AR, as a black woman I immediately sided w/AR and I didn’t want to actually read the facts because I am biased that way. Fast forward to 2023, on vacation in Uganda while my life is in turmoil, your highlight pops up on YouTube shorts and I was like who is this!!! I didn’t even remember that whole incident!!! Came back back home and kept watching you and my kids and I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it. The kids in the neighborhood would come over to watch you play. You get number one and I was I overjoyed! I started rearranging my schedule just to watch you play. I especially enjoy it when you get sassy!! Please don’t stop! Please keep running the show. I am a cancer so I am loyal to a fault, I support everything you do and I like your teammates and subscribe to their pods or buy their merch! Once they move on, I move on too! I ride with you 22 and so does my family. You brought joy to me, to us when my life was completely falling apart and we might never meet and you will never know this but thank you! Truly thank you and I pray God continues to shine the light on you, I hope and pray you continue to grow and most of all have fun while being the GOAT!!!! I’m back in Uganda, still planning my schedule around your games!! Girl I wake up at 2, 3 or 4 am just to watch you. It saddens me when you aren’t running the show, I hope that changes next season. When you run the show it’s different because even when we lose, it’s still fun basketball.
Love you girl and continue shining!
thank you for making me a fan of basketball. we are so proud of you! congrats on all the amazing things you achieved this year! love from Argentina 💗💗💗
Dear CC,
Thank you so much for what you do for women’s basketball and the people in the hospital. I won’t ever forget the first time I seen you play on the TV in the children’s hospital about five years ago. I was fourteen years old going through a brain surgery and suddenly you popped on the TV and I was like, “Hey mom she can ball, we have to go see her someday.” So we went through the whole surgery process which was challenging and after a year of healing I decided to try basketball out. So I tried out and have been playing for 4 years because I basically wanted to be you. But the surgery kind of messed up my moments when I was younger. I am glad I got to see you play in person and hoping to go more times. Just know you mean a lot when you come to see children in hospitals and fundraising money. Don’t let the hate down your greatness. Keep going and keep breaking records! (Sorry about this long story, I just thought it would be a great idea to share for what kids like me see in hospitals sometimes!)