The landscape of women’s sports is undergoing a seismic shift, fueled by increasing viewership, skyrocketing jersey sales, and a level of cultural relevance that has been long overdue. At the center of this revolution stands Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever guard who has not only transformed the way the game is watched but also how it is monetized. According to the newly released 2025 rankings by Sportico, Clark has achieved yet another historic milestone, cementing her status as a financial juggernaut in a league that is still finding its economic footing.

The Lone Basketball Star Among Global Icons

The headline from Sportico’s annual report on the highest-paid female athletes is stark and telling: Caitlin Clark is the only WNBA player to make the top 15. In a list traditionally dominated by individual sports stars—particularly from the world of tennis—Clark’s presence is a testament to her unprecedented marketability. Ranked sixth overall, Clark pulled in an estimated $16.1 million in 2025.

What makes this figure truly “shocking” is the composition of that wealth. While her on-court earnings from the WNBA, including base salary and bonuses, amounted to approximately $119,000, her off-court income soared to a staggering $16 million. This massive disparity highlights a unique reality for modern WNBA superstars: their value as brand ambassadors far eclipses their compensation as professional athletes. Clark’s financial portfolio is buoyed by a “who’s who” of corporate giants, including Gatorade, State Farm, Wilson, Panini America, Hy-Vee, Xfinity, and Gainbridge. Furthermore, her partnerships continue to expand, with recent additions like Stanley—the viral drinkware brand—and a highly anticipated signature sneaker line with Nike set to debut in 2026.

Tennis Continues to Reign Supreme

While Clark’s achievement is monumental for basketball, the list confirms that tennis remains the undisputed queen of female athlete earnings. The top of the chart is occupied by American tennis sensation Coco Gauff, who claimed the number one spot with an estimated $31 million in total earnings. Gauff’s commercial appeal, managed by her own agency in conjunction with WME, has attracted partners like New Balance, Rolex, and Bose, proving that global individual sports still offer the highest ceiling for endorsement revenue.

Following closely behind Gauff is Belarusian powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka, with earnings reaching $30 million, and other tennis icons like Naomi Osaka and Venus Williams, who continue to generate millions despite varying levels of activity on the tour. In fact, 10 of the top 15 spots were claimed by tennis players, a trend that has persisted for decades due to the sport’s global reach and lucrative prize money structures compared to league-based sports.

The “Angel Reese” Question and Notable Absences

Perhaps as interesting as the names on the list are the names that are missing. For much of the past year, the narrative of the WNBA has been driven by the rivalry and dual rise of Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese. Both players have brought millions of new eyes to the league, yet the financial dividends—at least in terms of top-tier global rankings—appear to be accumulating differently.

Angel Reese, despite her massive social media following and high-profile deals with brands like Reebok, did not crack the top 15. With the cutoff for this year’s list rising to $10.1 million—a significant jump from the $6.7 million cutoff in 2024—it appears that Reese’s total earnings, while undoubtedly impressive for a rookie, fell somewhere below that eight-figure threshold. This absence serves as a reality check regarding the sheer volume of endorsements required to compete with global tennis stars.

Also missing from the list is Las Vegas Aces superstar and arguably the best player in the world, A’ja Wilson. Despite her dominance on the court, her MVP awards, and her own signature shoe deal with Nike, Wilson’s total earnings did not surpass the $10.1 million mark. This underscores the difficulty even established WNBA legends face in matching the marketing machinery that has surrounded Clark since her collegiate days at Iowa.

The “Almost” Candidate: Sabrina Ionescu

The report notes that New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu was the closest basketball player to joining Clark on the list. Ionescu, who has her own successful signature shoe line with Nike and plays in the immense market of New York City, fell just short of the $10.1 million cutoff. This placement suggests that while Clark is currently an outlier, the ceiling for WNBA earners is rising. As the league negotiates new media rights deals and player salaries inevitably increase, we may see players like Ionescu, Reese, and Wilson breach this exclusive club in the coming years.

The Business of Being Caitlin Clark

Clark’s financial success is not merely a product of hype; it is a result of a carefully cultivated brand that transcends sport. Her “girl next door” relatability combined with lethal on-court performance has made her the perfect face for brands ranging from luxury automotive (Mercedes-Benz) to everyday essentials (Toothpaste and Insurance).

The $16 million endorsement figure is particularly impressive considering she missed a significant portion of the WNBA season due to the Olympic break and navigated the physical toll of a rookie year that followed immediately after a grueling NCAA championship run. Despite the exhaustion and the intense scrutiny, her brand value has only appreciated. The upcoming release of her signature Nike sneaker in 2026 is expected to be another massive revenue driver, potentially pushing her even higher up the list in future rankings.

A Rising Tide?

The total earnings of the top 15 female athletes reached an estimated $249 million in 2025, a 12% increase from the previous year. This growth indicates that corporate investment in women’s sports is not a fleeting trend but a solidified business strategy. However, the concentration of this wealth remains heavily skewed toward tennis and singular breakout stars like Clark.

For the WNBA, Clark’s presence on this list is a double-edged sword. It is a massive point of pride and a marketing tool for the league to have one of the world’s highest-paid female athletes. However, it also highlights the stark inequality within the sport, where the vast majority of players rely heavily on their base salaries, which are a fraction of what their male counterparts earn. Clark’s $119,000 salary is a drop in the bucket of her total wealth, proving that for now, the path to riches in women’s basketball lies almost exclusively on Madison Avenue, not the hardwood.

Conclusion

Caitlin Clark’s inclusion as the sole team-sport athlete on Sportico’s 2025 list is a historic achievement that speaks volumes about her individual impact. She has broken the mold, proving that a basketball player can compete commercially with the titans of tennis. As she continues to develop her game and her business portfolio, the question isn’t just how high she can climb, but who she can bring up with her. With the bar now set at $10 million to enter the elite tier, the race is on for the likes of Reese, Ionescu, and Wilson to close the gap. But for now, in the world of high-stakes athlete earnings, Caitlin Clark stands in a league of her own.