How Much Does The Highest Paid WNBA Player Make?

Point guard Arike Ogunbowale was the fifth overall pick by Dallas Wings in the first round of the 2019 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm.

She entered the draft as the NCAA champion with Notre Dame and the Most Outstanding Player. With many credentials in her name, Arike secured a supermax contract for the 2023 season.

Ogunbowale is among the three supermax contract holders who will make the league's highest salary of $234,936. Her accomplishments include being named the WNBA All-Star Game MVP in 2021 and being the 2020 WNBA scoring champion.

Moreover, her brand ambassadorship contract with State Farm along with other media opportunities also fuels her more financial opportunities.

Diana Taurasi is not only the highest paid but also the oldest player in the league at 41. She has won three WNBA since making her debut in 2004.

Taurasi was the first overall pick in the 2004 draft. With time, she became a two-time Finals MVP in 2009 and 2014 and league MVP in 2009.

Furthermore, the ten-time WNBA All-Star is only one of 11 women to win an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup gold, and a WNBA Championship.

Her veteran status in the league and countless accomplishments made Taurasi a perfect choice for a supermax contract worth $234,936.

The precise shooting guard of the Seattle Storm, Jewell Loyd, is the last of the three women to grab the Supermax contract for the 2023 season.

Loyd was the 2015 ACC Player of the Year and the WNBA Rookie of the Year. She went on to become the WNBA champion in 2018 and 2020.

With her impressive history throughout her playing career, Loyd deserves the supermax opportunity even before entering the WNBA court.

Likewise, she has been a player for the Perfumerías Avenida of the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto. On top of her income from two teams and several brand endorsements, Jewell has invested in crypto for many years.

Connecticut Suns' star player DeWanna Bonner comes just $586 short of being in the supermax category alongside, Arike, Diana, and Jewell.

Bonner was drafted fifth overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2009 draft. She lifted the WNBA title with the Mercury twice in 2009 and 2014.

DeWanna also became a four-time WNBA All-Star, adding such impressive traits to her pro career. Besides her jaw-dropping salary figure from the Suns, she also plays for Çukurova Basketbol of the Women's Basketball Super League.

She is married to her former teammate Candice Dupree, who currently works as the Player Development Coach for the NBA San Antonio Spurs.

Elena Delle Donne earns a whopping $234,350 in the 2023 season. Donne plays both guard and small forward for the Washington Mystics.

The 6 feet 5 inches tall Elena Delle won the 2019 WNBA championship with the Mystics. She also twice became WNBA MVP in 2015 and 2019.

Donne has been an All-Star for a record of six-time and was named to 2021 The W25, the league's list of the top 25 players of its first 25 years.

Elena was a second-overall pick of Chicago Sky in the 2013 draft. Her phenomenal ball-handling skills and popularity secured her a big salary slip.

Tulsa Shock drafted Skylar Diggins-Smith third overall in the 2013 WNBA draft. Skylar currently has annual earnings of $234,350.

The 32-year-old point guard is yet to lift the WNBA championship. However, Diggins-Smith has been a WNBA All-Star six times in her career.

Thus, she was able to secure an impressive max contract with Phoenix Mercury. Skylar played college basketball for Notre Dame from 2009-13.

Florida State's power forward, Natasha Howard, was drafted fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2014 WNBA Draft by Indiana Fever.

At 31, Natasha has been a WNBA champion three times in 2017, 2018, and 2020. She currently has an annual salary of $227,900.

Her first title win was with Minnesota Lynx, while her second and third championship triumphs were with Seattle Storm. As of 2023, she has struck a new deal with Dallas Wings.

Howard also made it to the 2018 and 2022 All-Star games as one of the best players in the league. The Wings are ready to pay her such a hefty amount, thanks to her incredible skills.

Cheyenne Parker has bagged the 2023 season's fourth highest-paid salary cap at $216,100. Parker is a power forward for Atlanta Dream.

Cheyenne was drafted 5th overall by the Chicago Sky during the 2015 draft. She played with Chicago until 2020 and joined Atlanta in 2021.

Likewise, she has experience playing overseas around China, South Korea, and France. Her contract and salary provisions are the highest in the franchise at the moment.

Alyssa Thomas is a 6 feet 2 inches tall power forward for the Connecticut Sun. Thomas is one of the most-paid players in the league at $212,000.

Thomas was the fourth overall pick of the New York Liberty during the first round of the 2014 WNBA Draft. Since then, she has emerged as a WNBA All-Star thrice in 2017, 2019, and 2022.

A former ACC Player of the Year from 2012 to 2014, Alyssa's basketball skills are truly worth the price that her team has paid for the season.

Jonquel Jones is another WNBA player to receive more than a regular max salary per the new CBA. Jones plays center for the New York Liberty.

She entered WNBA in 2016 as the sixth overall pick of the Los Angeles Sparks. She was traded to the Connecticut Sun right after, with whom she played until the 2022 season.

Jonquel has been playing with the Liberty starting the new season in May. She was the 2023 WNBA MVP while she made it to the WNBA All-Star games in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022.

Thus, Jonquel concludes our list of the ten highest-paid players in the WNBA. With the team's salary cap increase from $1,300,000 in 2020, the players have received well-paying treatments from their teams so far.

With the average WNBA viewership creating history in professional basketball, they have nabbed notable opportunities in other fields as well.