Caitlin Clark influence summed up by Napheesa Collier after heated WNBA debate

After a landmark rookie campaign in the WNBA, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark has received high praise from Minnesota Lynx rival Napheesa Collier as she waded into a fierce debate

Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier has admitted that Caitlin Clark “deserves” to be earning more than her current salary – after helping to transform the popularity of the women’s game.

The Indiana Fever point guard experienced a landmark first campaign in the WNBA as she delivered on her billing after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft in 2024. Bringing her form from her collegiate days onto the professional stage, the 22-year-old was Rookie of the Year in he first season.

Averaging 19.2 points, a league-high 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds on average per game, she broke 11 records in total in a milestone showing across the term. Her performances also inspired major fanfare at arenas around the country, with sell-out crowds turning out to watch Clark in action.

Now, Lynx rival Collier has praised the youngster for her influence, as she called for the Fever ace to receive a rise on her $75,000-a-year pay. She said: “It’s just so crazy because the growth that Caitlin has brought to the game, the sheer amount of money that she’s making these teams, people are having to move their venues for when she comes to play.

“And she’s getting paid like $75,000 a year [by the WNBA]. So definitely we want to be a part of that change, and that’s what we’re doing. I think she deserves that, I think she should be one of the top [paid] players in the world just for the sheer numbers she’s bringing,”

Her words come after the controversy surrounding remarks from WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who refused to put the league’s upsurge in popularity all down to Clark, saying: “No league is ever about one player.

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Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has the respect of Minnesota Lynx rival Napheesa Collier after a landmark rookie campaign ( 
Image:
Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
“That one player could get hurt, or whatever. So I think it’s just to give recognition that in sports, people watch for compelling content and rivalries, and you can’t do that alone as one person.”

The Indiana superstar’s salary has long been subject to discourse, with, President Joe Biden even wading into the debate over her pay previously, saying: “Women in sports continue to push new boundaries and inspire us all. But right now we’re seeing that even if you’re the best, women are not paid their fair share.”

However, Engelbert appeared in no mood to entertain these comments as she hit back at criticism as representing a “false narrative”. Speaking at the Changemakers Summit in New York City back in April, the league commissioner said: “Caitlin has the ability to make up to a half of a million dollars just in WNBA wages this year.

“So they’re just looking at a base, which is collectively bargained and actually is low, because she’s the number one pick. But she also has millions and millions of dollars in endorsements, and actually because she’s declared to become pro, her endorsements are higher in dollar value – she has a global platform now, not just a U.S. platform, so she’s going to do just fine as well.”