Joe Biden’s April 16, 2024, post called for fair pay and equal opportunity for women athletes, but it did not mention Caitlin Clark or the WNBA. News coverage linked the post to debate over Clark’s rookie salary after she was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever. Her reported first-year WNBA base salary was $76,535 under the 2024 rookie scale.
What did Biden say about Caitlin Clark’s salary?
In a statement posted on his official account on April 16, 2024, then-President Joe Biden wrote:
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“Women in sports continue to push new boundaries and inspire us all.
But right now we’re seeing that even if you’re the best, women are not paid their fair share.
It’s time that we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women are paid what they deserve.”Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
The post made a general argument about women’s opportunity and compensation in sports. Biden did not name Clark, say what she should earn, or announce a federal pay policy. Contemporary coverage connected the timing of his comments to the discussion of Clark’s contract; that connection came from the coverage, not from the wording of his post.
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How much was Caitlin Clark paid as a WNBA rookie?
Clark was selected No. 1 by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA draft. EL PAÍS reported these rookie-scale base salaries for her four-year contract:
| Contract year | Reported base salary | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $76,535 | 2024 rookie-scale figure reported by EL PAÍS |
| Year 2 | $78,066 | 2024 contract-scale figure reported by EL PAÍS |
| Year 3 | $85,873 | 2024 contract-scale figure reported by EL PAÍS |
| Year 4 | $97,582 | 2024 figure, if the team exercised the option, as reported by EL PAÍS |
EL PAÍS reported a total of $338,056 across the four years if the team exercised the fourth-year option. These are figures reported for Clark’s 2024 rookie-scale contract, not a statement of her current compensation.
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Why did Clark’s salary prompt an NBA comparison?
A contemporary EL PAÍS comparison put Clark’s reported first-year WNBA base salary alongside the reported first-year base salary for the 2024–25 NBA first overall pick:
| Player or pick | Season and draft position | Reported first-year base salary |
|---|---|---|
| Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever | 2024 WNBA draft, No. 1 pick | $76,535, 2024 figure reported by EL PAÍS |
| NBA first overall pick | 2024–25 NBA season, No. 1 pick | $10,504,800, contemporary figure reported by EL PAÍS; NBA rookie-scale salaries can vary |
The comparison helps explain why Clark’s rookie salary became a point of debate, but it is not a complete comparison of the leagues’ economics or of each player’s total compensation. These figures concern base salaries and different league rookie scales; they do not, by themselves, explain the effects of revenue, collective bargaining, benefits, contract guarantees, or option terms.
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How did the WNBA pay picture change in 2026?
The WNBA said its seven-year collective bargaining agreement begins in 2026 and runs through 2032. Its March 2026 announcement set a $7.0 million team salary cap for the 2026 season and said existing rookie-scale contracts would be adjusted upward. NBA.com’s coverage of the agreement gave these additional 2026 figures:
| 2026 figure | Amount | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Team salary cap | $7.0 million | For the 2026 season, per the WNBA’s March 2026 announcement |
| Maximum salary | $1.4 million | 2026 amount reported by NBA.com |
| Average salary | $583,000 | Projected 2026 amount reported by NBA.com |
| Salary for the 2026 No. 1 pick | $500,000 | Projected amount reported by NBA.com |
NBA.com also reported that the agreement introduces comprehensive revenue sharing and projects more than $1 billion in player salaries and benefits over the seven-year agreement. The average and No. 1-pick figures are projections, not confirmed outcomes.
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Does the 2026 agreement set Clark’s revised salary?
No exact revised amount for Clark’s existing contract is specified in the WNBA’s announcement or the cited NBA.com coverage. Those sources say existing rookie-scale contracts will be adjusted upward, but the available information does not give Clark’s adjustment schedule. The projected salary for the 2026 No. 1 pick applies to that draft class; it should not be substituted for Clark’s 2024 contract figures.
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