Does the WNBA have a 3-point line?

The debate around existing wage gap and salary disparity between NBA and WNBA has been going on ever since the establishment of the W. Though the WNBA has talents filled to the brim, even the All-Star contests such as the 3-point competition has a huge gap in prize money distribution as compared to the NBA. However, the WNBPA (Women's National Basketball Players' Association) has come up with a solution for the same.

On Thursday, the WNBPA announced that the prize money for the All-Star WNBA three-point contest has been increased to $60,000, matching the prize money of NBA's similar competition during the All-Star weekend. This prize money is sponsored by Aflac, a major sponsor and partner of the WNBA. Let's get to understand the intricacies of the same and even if the prize money is similar, what makes it stand out as compared to the NBA.

WNBA 3-point contest prize money to match with NBA's

On Thursday, the WNBPA announced that the 3-point contest during the All-Star weekend in Indiana will have a prize purse of $60,000. This matches the amount offered by the NBA during their All-Star weekend and is sponsored by an insurance company named Aflac. However, the difference between NBA and WNBA's prize money is quite interesting and intricate.

The W's prize money is being given out by a league sponsor. However, for the NBA, the prize money is written within the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Furthermore, the NBA awards all the participants in the contest, ranging from $10,000 for last place finish to $40,000 for the runner-up. The prize purse amounts to $195,000.

As per the WNBA's CBA, the three-point contest winner gets much lesser money as compared to the NBA. The winner used to receive $2,575. Combined with the sponsorship money, the first-prize totals to $62,575. The remaining participants do not get any share from the prize pool and only receive $1,030 as per the CBA.

The WNBA might soon even review their All-Star prize money, which is one of the most raging issues of deliberation amongst fans and professionals in the league. However, for that, the league and the players need to come into a consensus during CBA negotiations. As of now, the WNBPA opted out of the current CBA in October 2024 and if the new deal is ratified, it would kick in from 2026 season onwards.