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Who is the Highest Paid WNBA Player in 2024?

A breakdown of the biggest contracts in the league.

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Published Dec 28, 2023

The WBNA continues to be riddled with questions of fairness as it relates to gender pay disparity. While the league has seen some changes with money allocation that ends up in the hands of the players, contracts are still nothing near the likes of the NBA. The league minimum salary is now $74,000. The salary cap, which is regarded as a hard cap, stands at $1,420,500; this amount of money is distributed among 11 or 12 players on each of 12 rosters.

The groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement unveiled by the WNBPA, WNBA Board of Governors, and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in January 2020 boosted base salaries and continues to provide for extra earning opportunities for WNBA players. Max and supermax players now receive annual 3 percent salary bumps, and by 2027, the salary cap will have grown incrementally by nearly $300,000. All this said, there is no shortage of talent in the WNBA, even these pint-sized powerhouses have made an impact in the league. For a breakdown of the every WNBA MVP, check out this article!

Here are the highest paid WNBA players, according to figures attained by Sportac and Boardroom.

1. Erica Wheeler, Indiana Fever

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Contract: 2 years, $444,308
Salary: $242,154

Erica Wheeler is a WNBA All-Star who has been in and out of the WNBA and leagues oversees for almost a decade. Her new contract with the Indiana Fever that was signed in 2023 put her at the top of the list of highest paid WNBA players.

T-2. Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings

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Contract: 3 Years, $725,952
Salary: $234,936

Arike Ogunbowale comes in second as she is slated to earn $234,936 for the upcoming 2024 season. The Dallas Wings superstar had a great 2022 campaign, playing 30 games and averaging 19.7 PPG, 3.6 APG, and 3.3 RPG.

T-2. Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury

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Contract: 2 years, $469,872
Salary: $234,936

Diana Taurusi has become of the the biggest faces of the WNBA. She's been in the league since 2004, and is among the most decorated WNBA players ever, so its so surprise that she's also one of the highest-paid.

T-2. DeWanna Bonner, Connecticut Sun

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Contract: 4 Years, $899,480
Salary: $234,936

Former Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner was cored by the Mercury the league maximum of four times, so her pursuit of a new team was inevitable. In February 2020, Bonner was signed and traded to the Connecticut Sun, making her eligible for supermax earnings there. This season, Bonner will earn $224,870. In spite of the Sun’s disappointing loss in the WNBA Finals a couple of seasons ago, Bonner enjoyed an efficient postseason that saw her come up clutch in the semifinals against the Chicago Sky.

T-2. Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm

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Contract: 2 years, $463,030
Salary: $234,936

All-star guard Jewell Loyd became one of the the highest paid WNBA player after resigning with the Seattle Storm before the 2021 season. Loyd was the first overall pick in 2015 after an illustrious career at Notre Dame, going to two national championship games. She has helped the Storm win two championships, with the most recent coming in the 2020 'wubble'. Last season Loyd averaged 17.9 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals, earning her All-WNBA First team honors.

T-5. Skylar Diggins-Smith

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Contract: 4 years, $899,480
Salary: $234,350

The Phoenix Mercury boast three supermax players—and yes, one of them, at long last, is Skylar Diggins-Smith. Through a sign-and-trade deal between Phoenix and Dallas (for whom she was a designated core player), point guard Diggins-Smith was able to sign a four-year supermax contract with the Mercury in February 2020.

T-5. Elena Delle Donne, Washington Mystics

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224,870

Contract: 4 years, $899,480
Salary: $224,870

In the afterglow of a hard-fought championship, 2019 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne re-signed with the Washington Mystics in the 2020 offseason to a well-deserved supermax deal. In 2021, Delle Donne earned the updated supermax base salary of $221,450.

8. Natasha Howard, Dallas Wings

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$224,675

Contract: 4 years, $898,700
Salary: $227,900

Natasha Howard had a solid year with the New York Liberty in 2022 playing 35 games, and averaging 15.1 PPG, 2.3 APG, and 7.3 RPG. Howard was traded to the Dallas Wings in January 2023, so we'll have to see how the upcoming season goes with her new squad.