Sheryl Swoopes Net Worth: Breaking Down Contract, Endorsements, and More

Sheryl Swoopes was the torch bearer of the WNBA, who started an era when she signed with the Houston Comets during the inaugural season of the WNBA in 1997. It was a revolution for women's basketball players since they needed a strong foundation for the setup of the league and to display exceptional performances. Swoopes took that charge and became the first player to be signed by the WNBA as well as Nike. She got a signature shoe from the brand and even won the WNBA title four times in her career while playing for the Comets.

She also won the three-time WNBA MVP crown during her stint as a baller, which proves that she was not just able to take the burden of thriving league but also perform on her individual skills. She experienced some minor ups and downs, but still, she holds a significant market presence, and we'll be discussing the net worth of WNBA's original legend.

Sheryl Swoopes Net Worth 2025

Sheryl Swoopes' net worth is estimated to be $300,000 as per Celebrity Net Worth data. It might seem far less than what Sheryl deserved, considering her status and honor in the league. However, it's worth noting that Sheryl Swoopes played in an era where salaries were much lower than already lower salaries in today's WNBA in comparison to the male-centric NBA. In addition to that, there was no market for women's basketball at the start. Rather, she created a market for the players as well as the league through quality basketball.

Apart from the challenges that the newly found league faced in the market, Sheryl Swoopes was battling another crisis on an individual level. As per reports, she filed for bankruptcy in 2004 and had a debt of more than $700,000 to creditors, including $275,000 to the IRS. The condition was so bad that she did not have enough money to pay the rent when she left the Seattle Storm in 2009. Later on, she found some stability after acquiring the role of head coach at Loyola University Chicago.

Sheryl Swoopes Contract

Sheryl Swoopes signed her first contract with the Houston Comets in 1997, although the details of that deal are not available to the public. Later on, she might have signed many others since she played about nine seasons with the Comets. However, most of these deals were expected to be short-term deals, considering the lack of space for the league and its advertisements. Reportedly, she had the best deal during her career in the early 200s when she gained success with her first franchise.

Along with playing stints for different teams, she also received multiple MVP and championship accolades, which is why performance bonuses were another feather in her hat. She might have experienced a dip in her financial health in the middle, but later on, she took the role of the head coach as well as the analyst for multiple institutions, which offered her stability throughout the years till now.

Sheryl Swoopes Salary

Currently, Sheryl Swoopes is working as a broadcaster and analyst, along with serving as a commentator for the Dallas Wings' local broadcast partner, Bally Sports Southwest. However, there is not much information available about the remuneration that she earns from this job. Expectedly, Swoopes is earning about $90,000 from her current job. Coming to the playing days when she was active in the league, she had the highest WNBA salary among other players while playing for the Houston Comets. Yet it was far less than what WNBA players earn today, and it was less than $100,000 per year for the top bigwigs. We have curated an estimated breakdown of the salary that Swoopes received during her heyday:

The amount on the list might seem a meager sum considering what players like Jackie Young receive in this era. However, it is worth considering that Swoopes was getting the best of her era from the franchise front office at that level.

Sheryl Swoopes Endorsements and Sponsorships

Sheryl Swoopes' first groundbreaking deal was being the first female basketball player to have a signature shoe deal with Nike. It provided her the lift she needed in that era, especially since the brand was not interested in taking risks with the women's basketball players, Swoopes needed something to rely on other than her modest WNBA salary. Here are the major brands that are tied to Sheryl or are associated with her right now.

Nike

Nike signed Swoopes in 1995 before she could even make it to the WNBA and released the Nike Air Swoopes, the same year. It was the first-ever signature shoe for a female basketball player. However, the specific value of the contract is not yet disclosed to the public, and as per reports, the worth of the contract ranged between $500,000 and $750,000. It was a milestone for female athletes, and eventually, her sneaker line's success helped the brand promote merchandise specific to Sheryl.

Podcast

Currently, Sheryl appears on a weekly podcast with iHeartMedia called "Levels To This," co-hosted with Terrika Foster-Brasby. Here she discusses the trivial matters of the basketball world, including the issues with the NBA world, whether it be personal or professional, to the chaotic scenery in the WNBA world, and their playing style. Audience loves to watch Sheryl in her analytical avatar, and it earns her a decent amount of monetary support.

Sheryl Swoopes Investments

Sheryl Swoopes' investments are something that is yet to be known in full to the public. She stayed away from the game for a long time, and whatever she earned in the league was probably not enough to make significant investments in the league. Yet she fought her way through that and is expected to have some short-term involvement in the real estate business. Although she has not confirmed it to the public through any of her social media yet.

Sheryl Swoopes Assets

Sheryl Swoopes might not have experienced initial success with money when she was dominating the league, but she made sure that she was stable in her second innings after retirement. She continued to work for different roles after retirement, and that's how she was able to accumulate the following assets in her life, assuring Swoopes of a better future.

Properties

Reportedly, Swoopes owns a primary residence in Texas, where she resides with her family, but there is no definitive proof of that. The home is modest but situated on a spacious lot, considering her online snaps on her social media profile. It is not yet confirmed, but she bought the property after her coaching stint at Loyola Chicago ended. Apart from that, she is also expected to be the owner of a rental property in Lubbock, Texas. It gives her passive income from student tenants who attend Texas Tech University.

Other Assets

Sheryl Swoopes does not own fancy cars or yachts from her decent earnings from the WNBA or post-retirement jobs. However, she is expected to be in possession of the Nike Air Swoopes original sneaker collection, which is still a collectible item in the market. Along with it, she has the WNBA Championship rings, trophies, and autographed jerseys of the original legends of the WNBA.