Jason Whitlock rejects Russell Wilson's claim that Caitlin Clark 'deserves so much more' than her $76,535 WNBA rookie salary because basketball star isn't 'curing cancer, educating children or building rocket ships'

Given nan WNBA's rookie salary scale, Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark will gain conscionable $76,535 successful guidelines net complete nan 2024 play – a fig that has travel arsenic a daze to many, including Pittsburgh Steelers backmost Russell Wilson.

Wilson, nan portion proprietor of nan MLS' Seattle Sounders, reacted to nan news connected societal media, writing: 'These ladies merit truthful overmuch more…'

A statement ensued, but not 1 that progressive Wilson.

Instead it was blimpish sports media characteristic and professional Jason Whitlock who offered a counterargument.

'Russ, nary snark, but explicate to maine why they merit truthful overmuch more,' Whitlock wrote. 'Are they curing cancer, educating children, building rocket ships?'

Whitlock continued down this path, arguing that nan WNBA isn't profitable capable to warrant larger salaries for its players, moreover if Clark's four-year, $338,056 woody is dwarfed by San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama's $12 cardinal rookie-season salary. 

'Hundreds of thousands of young group time off assemblage each twelvemonth and commencement careers for little than 70k a year,' continued Whitlock, a sports pundit reportedly worthy millions. 'Is a hoops subordinate successful a convention that loses money each twelvemonth worthy much than an electrical engineer?

'Walk maine done it. Thanks and bully luck successful Pittsburgh.'

Of course, Clark has already earned millions successful endorsement deals pinch brands for illustration State Farm, but nan arguable podcaster was only addressing her existent WNBA net - thing she was incapable to really negotiate, per nan existent collective-bargaining agreement.  

Whitlock did not get a consequence from Wilson, but location are encouraging signs for nan WNBA's bottommost line.

The convention jumped from a reported $60 cardinal successful gross successful 2022 to a reported $200 cardinal successful 2023. And pinch a caller media authorities woody connected nan horizon, those figures tin proceed to increase, fixed nan fame of Caitlin Clark and nan remainder of nan 2024 WNBA Draft class.

Interest successful this year's WNBA Draft was truthful high, nan convention opened it up to fans for nan first clip since 2016 acknowledgment to Clark, nan all-time NCAA scoring leader.

And backmost successful Indianapolis, nan Fever reported much than 17,000 attendees astatine their WNBA Draft watch party.

Clark won't make her WNBA regular-season debut until May 14, but summons prices connected nan secondary marketplace person already soared complete $500. Meanwhile, nan defending-champion Las Vegas Aces person made plans to unfastened up 7,000 much seats erstwhile nan Fever travel to municipality connected May 25.

And Clark is bringing women's hoops to wholly caller audiences.

Before becoming nan evident first-overall prime by nan Indiana Fever, Clark spent nan past period guiding Iowa to its 2nd consecutive NCAA title crippled while garnering nan biggest tv audiences successful tourney history. In nan past fewer days she's been connected Saturday Night Live and NBC's Today Show, not to mention countless publications, websites, arsenic good arsenic nan lips and ears of sports fans crossed nan country.

Sponsors person already taken notice, pinch Opill, SKIMS, Peloton, La Crema, and Tissot announcing partnerships pinch nan WNBA successful caller weeks.

The convention already plans to adhd a caller squad successful 2025, but pinch Clark's arrival, location is much description talk successful nan works, not to mention a caller media woody that could dwarf nan existent contract.

'This is an important twelvemonth for america astir viewership, astir attendance, astir each nan qualitative and quantitative factors that spell into nan valuation of media rights,' commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Monday.

'The 1 point I cognize astir sports, you request family names, rivalries and games of consequence,' she continued, referencing nan women's NCAA tournament. 'Those are nan 3 things we've had complete nan past mates weeks.'