Injuries Don’t Hinder WNBA Star’s Record Earnings Off the Court

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Despite a challenging season full of injuries, WNBA star Aliyah Clark has set a new earnings record for the league. Limited to playing in only 30% of the Indiana Fever‘s games during the 2025 season, Clark’s off-court success propelled her total earnings to an estimated $16.1 million.

The vast majority of her income came from endorsements, amounting to approximately $16 million, while her playing salary and bonuses contributed about $114,000. This breakdown highlights how endorsements account for 99.3% of her earnings.

Clark’s financial success places her at No. 6 on Sportico’s 2025 earnings list, a significant leap from her debut at No. 10 in 2024. The rise in earnings comes after she signed a series of lucrative endorsement contracts following being drafted first overall by the Fever in 2024.

Her endorsement portfolio includes brands such as Gatorade, State Farm, and Wilson, with newly formed partnerships with Ascension St. Vincent and Stanley. In August, the Fever announced Clark as their signature athlete, launching a line of sportswear and sneakers scheduled for release in 2026.

Despite being sidelined for part of the season, Clark contributed to a midseason victory, allowing players on the Fever to earn a $30,000 bonus each. “You get more for this than you do if you’re the [WNBA Finals] champion,” Clark stated during the celebration of their triumph.

This season also marked the WNBA Finals’ shift to a best-of-seven format, increasing the total prize pool for participating teams. Although the Fever reached the semifinals, they were eliminated by the Las Vegas Aces, with Clark not playing, resulting in a smaller bonus of $3,435 per player.

The WNBA currently faces a pivotal moment regarding player salaries as part of ongoing contract negotiations aimed at increasing player incomes to match rising league revenues. Clark’s rookie contract pays a base salary of $76,535, totaling $78,066 in 2025 as part of her four-year deal worth $338,056.

Clark’s experience reflects a broader trend in women’s sports, where top athletes earn substantial income from endorsements compared to their salaries. In 2025, the top female athletes generated an estimated $249 million, with only 30% from their salaries, contrasting with 72% for their male counterparts.