Featured Image Credit: Tim Warner / Stringer via Getty
Topics: NBA, Steph Curry , Basketball
James Taylor
Topics: NBA, Steph Curry , Basketball
Steph Curry's NBA rookie salary compared to Caitlin Clark's WNBA wage is astonishing as the row over the gap in pay between the men's and women's games continues.
Before the WNBA All-Star game last weekend, players including Caitlin Clark took part in a protest before the game.
The players wore black t-shirts with the message 'pay us what you owe us' written on in white.
It comes as tensions mount between the players and players' union, who are stuck in negotiations over a new pay agreement.
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For many, the vast difference in wages between the NBA and WNBA has caused huge frustration and can be shown by a comparison of Curry with Clark.
Back in 2009, Curry was the seventh pick in the NBA Draft.
He signed a four-year deal worth $12,700,262 with the Golden State Warriors, meaning he pocketed $3,175,066 in his rookie season.
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By contrast, in 2024 Clark was the first pick for the 2024 WNBA draft as she signed a four-year contract with Indiana Fever.
But according to Spotrac, she will only earn $338,056 over that period, meaning she pocketed $84,514 from her rookie campaign.
This means Curry earned more than 37 times more than what Clark took home from their respective first years of professional basketball..
Although Curry has been out of the most outspoken NBA stars for reducing the pay gap, his salary has continued to boom since 2009.
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From 2013 to 2017, he earned an average of $11 million each year, which jumped to more than $40 million in 2017.
He signed his latest deal in 2021, which was a four-year extension with the Warriors.
The 37-year-old is set to pocket an eye-watering $59.6 million in the upcoming season, which is his penultimate campaign on this contract.
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Although it is unlikely that Curry will pocked the same amount if he extends his stay with the Warriors beyond 2027, even a reduced salary would dwarf WNBA pay packets.
The existing collective bargaining agreement was set to run for another two years but in October they decided to terminate it early.
Under the current deal, players are entitled to 25% of the league's profits each year, so long as the WNBA meet their revenue targets.
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According to IndyStar, that translates to a maximum of around $250,000 per year for some players, while rookies typically start at $72,000.
It is a sharp contrast to the NBA, where players receive 50% of the league's revenue, even if targets are not met.