The Highest Paid WNBA Players, Ranked

Highlights

• The WNBA has experienced growth in recent years, with increased attendance and television viewership.
• Top players in the league, such as Jonquel Jones and Skylar Diggins-Smith, have earned substantial salaries and endorsement deals.
• The Connecticut Sun has signed multiple talented players, including Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, solidifying their position as a competitive team.

Women's basketball has seen its fair share of talent since its inception in 1996. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has set the stage for top players who not only dominate the games on the court, but have also started earning what they deserve for the value they provide.

Each team competes in 36 regular season games throughout the WNBA season, which runs from May through September. The top eight teams in the regular season advance to the playoffs, which concludes with the WNBA Finals.

The WNBA has emerged as a mainstream sport in recent years, with attendance and television viewership steadily on the rise. In 2023, WNBA games averaged 728,000 audiences, an increase of 36 percent over 2022's games.

These recent developments have led to a long deserved salary increase for the best talents in the league.

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10 Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun

Approximate Annual Salary: $211,150

Jonquel Jones was rewarded with a two-year, $416,150 contract deal with the Connecticut Sun after being recognized as the WNBA's MVP (Most Valuable Player) in 2021.

This six-foot-six power forward is a four-time WNBA All-Star player, and was All-WNBA First Team in 2021. She has also won the league's rebounding title three times and leads the way on the career block list.

It does not come as a surprise that Jones is featured on this list, as she has cemented her status as one of the league's premier players. Jonquel Jones has seen action abroad; in 2017, she joined Asan Woori Bank Wibee of the Women's Korean Basketball League and unsurprisingly led them to a championship victory.

She also played with Shaxi Flames in China and UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia, but left the country after Russia invaded Ukraine.

9 Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun

Approximate Annual Salary: $212,000

Alyssa Thomas was drafted by New York Liberty in 2014. The 31-year-old forward plies her trade with the Connecticut Sun and has featured four times in the WNBA All-Star team; she also has various individual titles to her name, such as the Steals leader in 2020.

Thomas is renowned for her athleticism and unique shooting style, often leaving the audience on the edge of their seats. She has been lauded as a vocal advocate for social justice and equality.

Alyssa Thomas signed a four-year $836,000 contract with the Sun in 2021, an ample reward that will see her take home $212,000 every year for the duration of the contract.

8 Natasha Howard, Dallas Wings

Approximate Annual Salary: $224,000

The Ohio-born six-foot-two forward was drafted into the WNBA by Indiana Fever in 2014. She was acquired by the Dallas Wings in 2023 and signed a three-year contract, with the third year being a player option.

She will earn $224,900 in 2023, $234,350 in 2024, and $241,800 in 2025. Her contract is fully guaranteed, meaning she will receive her full salary even if she is injured or cut from the team.

Howard's WNBA resume is impressive; she is a three-time WNBA Champion, a two-time All-Star, and "Defensive Player of the Year" in 2019; it is safe to say she is worth the numbers in her contract.

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7 Skylar Diggins-Smith, Phoenix Mercury

Approximate Annual Salary: $224,870

Skylar Diggins-Smith has become a force to be reckoned with in the WNBA since winning the "Most Improved Player" award in 2014. She is a six-time All-Star and was named part of the Rookie Team in 2013.

She missed the entire 2019 season after giving birth to her son, but returned despite experiencing postpartum depression. In 2020, Diggins-Smith was acquired by the Phoenix Mercury, signing a four-year supermax extension worth over $899,000.

Diggins-Smith signed a sponsorship deal in 2013 with Nike and Bodyarmor SuperDrink. The WNBA guard is the first female athlete to sign with Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports, after agreeing to be represented by the agency in 2013.

6 Elena Delle Donne, Washington Mystics

Approximate Annual Salary: $224,870

Elena Delle Donne's remarkable career has seen measurable success on and off the court. The Washington Mystics forward has appeared seven times in the All-Star and won the WNBA championship in 2019.

The two-time MVP is part of the US Women's basketball team, which won the 2018 Olympic Games and the 2018 FIBA Women's World Cup. In 2020, Delle Donne signed a four-year supermax contract extension worth $899,480; the contract includes an annual average salary of $224,870.

Since her debut season, Delle Donne has signed multiple endorsements with different brands like Nike, and wears the Nike Air Zoom shoe. She also represents content marketing giant Octagon.

5 DeWanna Bonner, Connecticut Sun

Approximate Annual Salary: $224,870

DeWanna Bonner's transition to the Connecticut Sun opened new doors in her professional athletic journey. The forward was drafted in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, where she spent her ten seasons winning the 2009 and the 2014 WNBA championships.

The five-time All-Star player signed a mammoth contract with the Sun that saw her earn a $215,000 base salary in 2020; the details in her contract with the Sun saw her salary increase to $224,870 in 2023.

The synergy between Bonner's game and her marketable persona has brought her substantial earnings from endorsements and through international brands.

4 Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm

Approximate Annual Salary: $231,515

Jewell Loyd got into the basketball spotlight early in her college years and eventually became the first pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft. Since then, her game has flourished significantly, and she played a crucial role in helping the Seattle Storm win the WNBA championship in 2018 and 2020.

Loyd also has several individual accolades to her name, such as the WNBA's "Rookie of the Year" and "Scoring Leader" in 2023. The Seattle franchise showed faith in the player by offering her a two-year supermax deal.

The new agreement made her the highest-paid player on the team and will see her earn $231,515 annually. Dubbed "The Golden Mamba" by Kobe Bryant himself, Loyd is the face of Bryant's Nike signature line for women's basketball.

3 Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury

Approximate Annual Salary: $234,936

Diana Taurasi is a household name in the WNBA. The Phoenix Mercury guard is one of the most decorated players in the WNBA with three WNBA titles, the WNBA Finals MVP, and "Rookie of the Year" in 2004.

She made an immediate impact in the league after her draft in 2004, helping the Mercury win their first championship in 2004 and earning herself the "Rookie of the Year." award. Taurasi has also seen action abroad in Russia and Turkey's women's basketball leagues, collecting several team and individual accolades.

In 2023, the Phoenix Mercury rewarded her with a two-year supermax deal worth $469,872 annually. Having conquered women's basketball, Taurasi made her Hollywood debut in the 2021 basketball-themed movie Space Jam: A New Legacy.

2 Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings

Approximate Annual Salary: $241,984

This young warlock, Arike Ogunbowale, is leading the charge for the Dallas Wings. The forward was drafted fifth overall in the 2019 WNBA Draft and quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with, winning "Rookie of the Year" in 2019 and being named to the 2020 All-WNBA Game.

Ogunbowale's fierceness on the court has led the Dallas Wings to lock her down with a three-year contract; she has led the team in scoring since her debut season, and led the league in scoring a year after she arrived.

Prior to her contract extension, she was on a small semi-professional contract deal, but her contributions earned her a $725,952 per year agreement.

1 Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces

Approximate Annual Salary: $252,450

Jackie Young is the highest paid player in the WNBA; the guard was drafted first overall by the Las Vegas Aces in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

Young was essential to the team's 2022 and 2023 WNBA championship titles. Young is a two-time All-Star and was named the WNBA's "Most Improved Player" in 2022.

She also represented the United States' women's basketball team internationally, winning the gold medal in the Women's 3x3 basketball at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Jackie Young agreed on an extension deal with the Aces in 2023, signing a two-year contract worth $504,900.

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