NFL star Russell Wilson calls for WNBA players to get paid more after Caitlin Clark's rookie salary revealed

Clark will make just over $76K in her rookie season

Caitlin Clark was the toast of the town on Monday night as the Indiana Fever selected her with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft.

As the selection was made, social media started to break down her expected salary through the first four years of her career. Barstool Sports cited numbers from Spotrac, which indicated Clark’s contract is worth about $338,000 over four years, and she will make just over $76,500 in her first season with the Fever.

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Caitlin Clark and Cathy Engelbert

Iowa's Caitlin Clark, left, poses for a photo with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Indiana Fever during the first round of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson wrote on X that Clark and other WNBA players should be paid more.

"These ladies deserve so much more… Praying for the day," Wilson wrote in a post.

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LSU STAR ANGEL REESE SELECTED NO. 7 OVERALL BY CHICAGO SKY

Caitlin Clark with Iowa

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark walks to the bench during the second half of the Final Four college basketball championship game against South Carolina in the women's NCAA Tournament on Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

WNBA rookies, similar to NFL rookies, are paid based on where they are drafted. For the top four picks, their salaries are the same – earning them $76,535 in their first season.

When it comes to Clark, her wallet will be boosted by the endorsement deals she received in college. Clark had a big State Farm feature at the WNBA Draft and is a Nike-endorsed athlete as well. She will keep those deals, and others, as she turns pro.

Caitlin Clark gets the ball

Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, catches the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 7, 2024 in Cleveland. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Some of the highest-paid players include Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale, Phoenix Mercury’s Kahleah Copper and Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd. They all make nearly $242,000 per year, according to Spotrac.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Authored by Ryan Gaydos via FoxNews April 16th 2024