The 10 Highest Paid WNBA Players
WNBA players are compensated at different rates across the country, with some of the highest-paid WNBA players earning well over two hundred thousand dollars annually. This article will discuss the ten highest-paid WNBA players and what they earn. We’ll also discuss their background, what team they played for in 2023, and what helped these players rise to prominence. It’s important to recognize that WNBA players switch teams on a regular basis, so this information can change quickly. What you see in this article may change over time, so consider this a snapshot of the highest-paid WNBA player in 2023.
If you’re interested in knowing more about the highest-paid WNBA player, either because you’re a basketball fan or because you’re interested for research purposes, or for your own edification, this article can help you identify some of the highest-paid professionals in the game. Here’s what you need to know.
WNBA Player #10: Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun
- At a glance: Alyssa Thomas is a power forward who most recently played for Connecticut Sun in WNBA.
- Background: born in 1992 in Camp Hill, PA
- Claim to fame: Thomas is well known for being a versatile player, able to guard both the guard and post positions. She is a four-time WNBA All-Star.
- Wealth: $210,000 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
Alyssa Thomas plays for the Connecticut Sun. She is known as a four-time WNBA All-Star player who recorded six triple-doubles in 2023. This made her the first player to tally more than two triple-doubles in a single regular season. She played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins and then was drafted to the New York Liberty in the 2014 draft; then, shortly thereafter, she was traded to the Connecticut Sun in 2015.
She is the all-time leader in double-doubles, rebounding, and scoring for all programs (men’s and women’s) at the University of Maryland programs. She is also one of only three athletes in NCAAW history with six career triple-doubles, and she is the only person in WNBA history to record 15+, 15+, and 10+ with 0 turnovers. She has been named the Peak Performer in rebounds. Alyssa grew up in Pennsylvania and is the all-time leading scorer at the high school she attended as a teenager.
WNBA Player #9: Cheyenne Parker, Atlanta Dream
- At a glance: Cheyenne Parker has played for the Chicago Sky and Atlanta Dream. She has been playing with the WNBA since 2015.
- Background: Born 1992 in Queens, NY
- Claim to fame: Cheyenne Parkerwas drafted in 2015 by the Chicago Sky and has a career-high of 24 points.
- Wealth: $216,100 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
Cheyenne Parker was born and raised in Queens, New York, and went to college at Middle Tennessee State, where she majored in mass communications. She was drafted in 2015 with the WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky. She had a breakout season in 2018, scoring a career-high 20 points and 13 rebounds. That season finished with career highs in every statistical category. In 2019, she scored a new career-high 22 points in a win over the Connecticut Sun and again against the Minnesota Lynx.
Following an excellent 2019 season, she had the best season of her career thus far in 2020 when she started in 13 of 20 games and scored a new career-high 24 points with 10 rebounds. Cheyenne Parker signed with the Atlanta Dream in 2021 and has been with them since that time.
Parker has played off-seasons in China, Poland, France, and South Korea.
WNBA Player #8: Natasha Howard, New York Liberty
- At a glance: Natasha Howard plays for the Dallas Wings and Fenerbahçe of the Women’s Basketball Super League EuroLeague Women.
- Background: Born 1991
- Claim to fame: Howard had her breakout season in 2019 when she was voted into the 2019 All-Star Game. She enjoys a career-high 33 points in a victory over the Minnesota Lynx.
- Wealth: $227,900 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
Natasha Howard plays for the Dallas Wings and Fenerbahçe of the Women’s Basketball Super League EuroLeague Women. After playing college basketball for Florida State University, she was first drafted in 2014 by the Indiana Fever. Howard had her breakout season in 2019 when she was voted into the 2019 All-Star Game. Her career high that year was 33 points in a victory over the Minnesota Lynx.
Natasha won the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award and was named to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team. She was acquired by the New York Liberty in 2021, then in 2023, was traded to the Dallas Wings.
WNBA Player #7: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Phoenix Mercury
- At a glance: Skylar Diggins-Smith plays for the Phoenix Mercury. She has a degree from Notre Dame and is an advocate for childhood obesity.
- Background: born in 1990 in South Bend, IN
- Claim to fame: Skylar Diggins-Smith was named to the All-Rookie team and experienced her breakout year in 2014 when she was named WNBA All-Star.
- Wealth: $234,350 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
Skylar Diggins-Smith plays for the Phoenix Mercury. She was born in South Bend, Indiana and grew up playing softball. She played college basketball for Notre Dame Fighting Irish and led the team to two consecutive NCAA championship appearances and three consecutive Final Fours. She has a degree from Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. She has twice won the Nancy Lieberman award as the top point guard in the nation. Diggins-Smith is an advocate against childhood obesity. She has been a model for Nike and a guest interviewer for ESPN.
Diggins-Smith was named to the All-Rookie team. Her breakout year occurred in the 2014 season when she was named WNBA All-Star and scored a career-high of 34 points. She was a USA Women’s U18 National Team member, played on the 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team, and played for USA Basketball at the 2011 World University Games held in Shenzhen, China.
WNBA Player #6: Elena Delle Donne, Washington Mystics
- At a glance: Elena Delle Donne is a player for the Washington Mystics.
- Background: born 1989 in Wilmington, DE
- Claim to fame: Elena Delle Donne has won two WNBA MVP awards and was selected to seven All-Star teams.
- Wealth: $234,350 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
Elena Delle Donne is a player for the Washington Mystics. She has won two WNBA MVP awards and was the first WNBA Player to join the 50-40-90 club. Delle Donne was selected to seven All-Star teams, and is now the all-time leader in free throw percentage. She played college basketball for the Delaware Blue Hens, then was drafted by the Chicago Sky in 2013. She helped lead Chicago Sky to the 2014 WNBA Finals. In 2017, she was traded to the Washington Mystics, then in 2019 she led them to their first WNBA championship.
Delle Donne is one of three WNBA players to have career mode icons in NBA Live 19 and has signed endorsement deals with DuPont and Nike.
WNBA Player #5: DeWanna Bonner, Connecticut Sun
- At a glance: DeWanna Bonner plays for the Connecticut Sun. She joined the team in 2020.
- Background: born in 1987 in Fairfield, AL
- Claim to fame: DeWanna Bonner was voted to the WNBA All-Star game in 2018. In her first regular season game with the Phoenix Mercury, she scored 16 points in 26 minutes.
- Wealth: $234,350 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
DeWanna Bonner plays for the Connecticut Sun. She played basketball in college at Auburn University, where she majored in psychology. She was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in 2009. She joined the Connecticut Sun in 2020. In her first regular season game with the Mercury, she scored 16 points, despite only playing for 26 minutes. That year, she scored 13 points to contribute toward the 2009 championship.
She won her second WNBA Championship in 2014. Despite sitting out the 2017 season due to pregnancy, she was voted for the WNBA All-Star game 2018.
WNBA Player #4: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
- At a glance: Jewell Loyd plays for the Seattle Storm
- Background: born in 1993 in Lincolnwood, IL
- Claim to fame: Jewell Loyd scored the school’s 5th highest total points while playing for Notre Dame and won the Rookie of the Year award in 2015
- Wealth: $234,940 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
Jewell Loyd plays for the Seattle Storm. Jewell played basketball at Notre Dame, where she went to college. In her last season at Notre Dame, Loyd earned the title of ESPN’s women’s college basketball player of the year. She scored 1,909 points while at college, the 5th highest total ever. She was drafted to the Seattle Storm in 2015. Her performance in her first season earned her the WNBA Rookie of the Year award.
That season, she averaged 10.7 points per game. She averaged 16.5 points per game in her second season and scored a career-high 32 points against Phoenix Mercury. That year, she was named to the All-WNBA Second Team. She has played in Turkey, China, South Korea and Spain.
WNBA Player #3: Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
- At a glance: Diana Taurasi plays for the Phoenix Mercury
- Background: born in 1982 in Glendale, CA
- Claim to fame: fans selected Diana Taurasi as the league’s greatest player of all time
- Wealth: $234,940 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
Diana Taurasi plays for the Phoenix Mercury. She is considered one of the greatest players in WNBA history. She was drafted by Phoenix Mercury in 2004 and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year award. In her record, she has won five Olympic gold medals, the WNBA MVP award, three FIBA world cups and five scoring titles. She has also been selected to participate in fourteen All-WNBA teams and ten WNBA All-Star Teams, including ten first-team selections.
She has been voted as one of the WNBA’s Top 15 Players of All Time, and in 2021 was selected by fans as the league’s greatest player of all time. She became the first player to score 10,000 career points.
WNBA Player #2: Arike Ogunbawale, Dallas Wings
- At a glance: Arike Ogunbowale plays for the Dallas Wings.
- Background: born in 1997 in Milwaukee, WI
- Claim to fame: Arike Ogunbowale was selected to be the WNBA 2021 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 2021. In 2023, she won the WNBA’s Western Conference Player of the Month.
- Wealth: $234,940 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
Arike Ogunbowale plays for the Dallas Wings. She went to college at Notre Dame, where she was Most Outstanding Player of Notre Dame’s 2018 national title run. She competed in season 26 of Dancing with the Stars. She was drafted into the WNBA league in 2019 by the Dallas Wings.
She was selected to be the WNBA 2021 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 2021. In 2023, she won the WNBA’s Western Conference Player of the Month. She is the 11th player in league history to score over 20 points in the season’s first four games. She has played overseas in Turkey and Russia. She has appeared in advertisements for State Farm.
WNBA Player #1: Erica Wheeler, Indiana Fever
- At a glance: Erica Wheeler plays for the Indiana Fever.
- Background: born in 1991 in Miami, FL
- Claim to fame: Erica Wheeler was undrafted from Rutgers but eventually was named All-StarG Game MVP.
- Wealth: $242,150 annually as of 2023
- Overview:
Erica Wheeler plays for the Indiana Fever. She played at Rutgers and graduated from the college but remained undrafted in the WNBA until 2015, when she first played with the Atlanta Dream and then the New York Liberty. She joined Indiana Fever in 2016. She was the first undrafted player ever in the WNBA to be named All-Star Game MVP. She signed with Turkey’s Izmit Belediyespor and played in their 2020-2021 season. She averaged 15.1 points per game during this time.
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