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Paige Bueckers made history in two ways when she shook hands with WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft.
Bueckers is the last top pick under the WNBA’s current CBA (collective bargaining agreement). It expires in October after players opted out to advance its expiration date from 2027 to this year. The top four picks in the WNBA draft will all earn $78,831 this season.
That amount decreases by $3,000 intervals until the last pick of the draft. WNBA draft picks earn 198 times less than their male counterparts (based on 120% of the NBA rookie scale, the maximum value first-round picks are allowed to sign).
Parity, for better or worse
Top WNBA draft picks don’t earn substantially more than lower draft picks. Picks 1-4 earn a total of $348,198 during their four-year rookie contracts. The next six draft picks earn between $14,000 and $28,000 less. Meanwhile, the last pick of the WNBA draft will earn $285,136 over four seasons, just 18% less than what Bueckers will take home.
To compare, Cooper Flagg, the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft this June, is projected to earn $62.7 million. The 10th pick would earn less than half of that. Whoever is selected last in the first round would earn $14.1 million, almost five times less than the top pick.
More leverage
WNBA players have been outspoken about renegotiating higher salaries in the next CBA, whether it forces the WNBA’s first lockout or not.
The successful launch of Unrivaled, the historic media rights deal signed last July, and strong viewership last season, thanks in part to the arrival of new stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, give players more leverage than ever in negotiations.
Salaries of WNBA draft picks
Here are the first-year salaries and total value of the four-year contracts for the 2025 WNBA draft picks, per Spotrac.
| Pick | Year 1 Salary | Total Value |
| 1 | $78,831 | $348,198 |
| 2 | $78,831 | $348,198 |
| 3 | $78,831 | $348,198 |
| 4 | $78,831 | $348,198 |
| 5 | $75,643 | $334,115 |
| 6 | $75,643 | $334,115 |
| 7 | $75,643 | $334,115 |
| 8 | $75,643 | $334,115 |
| 9 | $72,455 | $320,040 |
| 10 | $72,455 | $320,040 |
| 11 | $72,455 | $320,040 |
| 12 | $72,455 | $320,040 |
| 13 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 14 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 15 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 16 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 17 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 18 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 19 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 20 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 21 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 22 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 23 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 24 | $69,267 | $305,957 |
| 25 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 26 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 27 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 28 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 29 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 30 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 31 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 32 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 33 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 34 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 35 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 36 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 37 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
| 38 | $66,079 | $285,136 |
