The world of women’s basketball has been stirred with the news of an unprecedented offer to Caitlin Clark, the NCAA sensation from Ice Cube’s Big3 League. A whopping $5 million has been tabled for her to play just 8 regular season games and possibly 2 playoff games. This is a historic moment, not just for Clark, but for women’s basketball as a whole.
According to sources close to the matter, the Big3 league has already tabled the extraordinary offer to Clark. Not only is the $5 million for 10 games guaranteed, but she could also earn substantial additional compensation from merchandising and sponsorships.
One of the major advantages of this deal is that the Big3 league would allow Clark to also play in the WNBA. This is a win-win-win situation for both leagues and of course, for Clark.
Clark, whose Iowa Hawkeyes are preparing for their Sweet 16 game this weekend in the Women’s NCAA Tournament, has already declared herself for the WNBA draft next month. And the Indiana Fever has made it clear they’re picking Caitlin with their #1 pick.
The only potential hitch is that BIG3 and the NBA — which operates the WNBA — have bad blood. The U.S. Dept. of Justice launched an antitrust investigation last year into allegations the NBA is making moves to crush BIG3’s success.
We’ve reached out to Caitlin’s camp to gauge their interest in the potentially history-making deal. Will she take up the offer and make history as the first-ever $5 million woman in basketball? Only time will tell.
This offer to Caitlin Clark signifies a shift in the valuation of women’s sports. It’s not just about the money, but also about the recognition and respect for the players and the game.
“She would be the first female player in the BIG3, but she’s famously grown up playing and practicing against male players … so, that’s nothing new for her.”
