Top 10 Lowest-Paid WNBA Players of All Time

The WNBA is hailed as a platform that has given excellent women’s basketball players to the world. However, players' remuneration for such excellent performances is not equal to their male counterparts league, the NBA. The league has even received much criticism over the years for the act. However, the primary reasons for the lower pay from the league have surfaced as marketing, revenue, and traction concerns. The WNBA does not draw the attention of the viewers as much as the NBA, and that’s why the pay disparity continues.

However, the WNBA viewership surged to an all-time high in 2024, as per the record, hitting 54 million unique viewers across different broadcasting channels. Some senior players, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson, are even earning from that fortune, but some of the players still fall in the least-paid category of the league. And it cannot change overnight, as the monetary equations have evolved in line. Soon, the upcoming generation might earn better than even the seasoned players of the game if the league’s popularity continues to surge. The following piece on the minimum salary in the WNBA will explore the players who were not earning big numbers before the viewership boom era and who are still not earning big numbers.

For a long time, WNBA players have been playing overseas in the offseason to add extra sum to their worth. It is a kind of supplemental role to fill the insufficient pay in the league and get a better monetary reward. However, today’s least-paid players might earn hefty contracts like their NBA counterparts if the league continues to evolve at the same rate. So, let’s look closer at the players who are currently the least-paid in the WNBA.

10 Lowest-Paid WNBA Players of All Time

Throughout the history of the WNBA, there have been several players and superstars who have been rewarded for their game, but there are a few who still have room to grow financially. Here's a table for the lowest-paid players :

WNBA revenue and profits are quite meager compared to it's parent league. So, players earning low compared to their NBA counterparts is quite sad indeed in every regard. Nevertheless, here are some of the lowest paid WNBA players in the league.

#10: Emily Engstler ($62,285)

This defensive prodigy, Emily Engstler, is part of a collective happy unit of early first-round picks in the 2022 Draft. Yet she is bringing home an income that comes on the lower end of the league’s rookie salary ceiling. She is among one of the lowest paid WNBA players.

With her great defensive special capabilities and aggressiveness to disrupt opponents’ strategies, Engstler can also be expected to acquire a lengthy and prosperous career in the WNBA. Meanwhile, Engstler is honing her offensive skills while undergoing community service projects that inspire young girls to get involved in sports. She ranks 10th in the list of lowest earning WNBA players.

#9: Shakira Austin ($62,2850)

Shakira Austin, a WNBA rookie in 2022, has a chance to define her place as a decisive piece in the Washington Mystics’ vibrant forward line this season. This first-user rookie was brought in as a first-round draft pick and starts at $62,285, as that is the way it goes: most first-time players have a rookie scale contract. It’s a small salary, but according to her work, Austin will land some huge endorsements and contracts in the future. She is among one of the lowest paid WNBA players . Besides the court, Austin advocates for mental health awareness for athletes and aims to promote it even beyond the sporting field. With this, Shakira Austin ranks 9th in the list lowest paid WNBA players

#8: Aisha Sheppard ($62,285)

Sheppard came out of high school as the Gatorade Player of the Year for Washington, D.C., as well as the 34th-rated recruit of the 2017 Class per ESPN's HoopGurlz rankings. In college, she averaged 11.8 points per game,1.9 assists per game, and 2.5 rebounds per game on a .372 three-point percentage throughout his 5 years at Virginia Tech. In the 2022 WNBA draft, Sheppard was taken 23rd overall by the Las Vegas Aces. Sheppard appeared in 23 games for the Aces during her rookie season and was a part of their 2022 WNBA Championship run. Sheppard was waived by the Aces during training camp before the 2023 season. She is among one of the lowest paid WNBA players.

#7: Jasmine Dickey ($62,285)

Dickey committed to the Delaware Blue Hens in September 2017. She averaged 11.8 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game, and 1.7 assists per game during her collegiate career. She is among one of the lowest paid WNBA players . Dickey was selected in the Third Round of the 2022 WNBA draft by the Dallas Wings. She was selected with the 30th pick overall. She was the third player ever chosen in the WNBA Draft from Delaware, joining Tyresa Smith and Elena Delle Donne and ranks 7th in the list of lowest paid WNBA players.

#6: Elisa Cunane ($62,285)

Elissa Cunane is an American professional basketball player for BK Žabiny Brno of the Czech Women's Basketball League. She played college basketball at NC State. She was drafted by the Seattle Storm in the 2022 WNBA draft. She averaged 14.8 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, and 1.3 assists per game during her collegiate career.

Very recently Cunane signed a training camp contract with the newest WNBA team, the Golden State Valkyries. Though the exact details of the contract are not known, Cunane's estimated league salary makes her rank 6th in the list of lowest paid WNBA players.

#5: Destanni Henderson ($62,285)

Destanni Henderson is well known worldwide as a student-athlete with an impressive record. Over time, she is sure to double or even triple her worth by the time she gets her endorsement and future contracts since she stepped into the league with a salary of $62,285 but has gained a profile and performance enough to build her future further. Holding the lowest salary in the WNBA, she is filled with her unique vibrancy and sporting ambition. Henderson has gotten a few hits at fashion endorsements with an athletic hat while doing it in her style.

#4 Evina Westbrook ($62,285)

With her guarding abilities, Evina Westbrook possesses a multifaceted talent around the rim. However, her remuneration is not equal to the numbers, performance, and impact on the court. Her contribution with her advocacy of mentoring others in the sport for inclusion makes her a role model for the younger and future athletes of the sport. She is among one of the lowest paid WNBA players .Her ability to conceptualize the game with her artistic playmaking skills and defending techniques guarantees she will be on the team’s roster now and in the future, no matter how much she makes.

#3 Christyn Williams ($62,285)

Christyn Williams is a promising talent coming out of UConn, but unfortunately, she’s facing some obstacles in her career with the WNBA. She is a great talent, but injuries have been a frequent hindrance to her abilities. A salary of $62,285 , perhaps the norm for rookies, is a pity when one imagines the scale of her contributions to the game once entirely recovered. Williams is remaining positive, working through her injury recovery, and using her college success to create opportunities for herself in coaching and media.

#2: Kayla Wells ($62,285)

Kayla Wells is an American. basketball player born on July 13, 1999, in Dallas, Texas. She is a forward who played at Spar Gran Canaria in the Spanish LF Endesa. She graduated from Texas A&M University in 2022. She is represented by the agency. Wells has played in a lot of countries, including Spain, Greece, Poland, Turkey, and the United States.

#1: Khayla Pointer ($62,285)

Coming out of high school, Pointer was a 4-Star recruit and ranked the 70th overall recruit in the ESPN HoopGurlz Ranking. Her career seemed promising, and the future seemed bright . Pointer was the 14th-ranked player from Prospect Nation before she committed to play for the LSU Tigers program.She is among one of the lowest paid WNBA players . She was even drafted into the WNBA by the Las Vegas Aces and played for the Indiana Fever. After playing a mere 10 games with the franchise, though, they unfortunately decided to waive Pointer before the team's training camp, and now she plays in the Spanish Women's League for Casademont Zaragoza.