The salary gap between NBA players and WNBA players is insane.

The NBA is a booming business, and because of this, their players make a lot of money. The NBA’s counterpart, the WNBA, unfortunately, doesn’t bring in nearly the same type of money.

This is why WNBA players make far less than what NBA players make. To see the huge gap in salaries, we will look at the top 5 highest-paid players from both the NBA and the WNBA.

Top 5 NBA players’ salaries for the 2023-24 season:

1. Stephen Curry – $51,915,615

2. Kevin Durant – $47,649,433

3. Nikola Jokic – $47,607,350

4. LeBron James – $47,607,350

5. Joel Embiid – $47,607,350

Let’s take a look at the WNBA.

Top 5 WNBA players’ salaries for the 2023-24 season:

1. Erica Wheeler – $242,154

2. Arike Ogunbowale – $234,936

3. Diana Taurasi – $234,936

4. Jewell Loyd – $234,936

5. DeWanna Bonner – $234,350

As you can see here, the highest-paid NBA player is Stephen Curry, who earns $51,915,615 million.

On the other side, the highest-paid WNBA player is Erica Wheeler, who earns just $242,154. This is a huge, unbelievable difference, with exactly $51,673,461.

Now, let’s take a look a little bit more about all these players on the list and find out more about their earnings and NBA careers.

Stephen Curry rightfully leads the pack with $51.9 million. Curry single-handedly changed the way the game is played, with everyone, including centers, taking three-point shots.

Since 2015, Curry has won four NBA championships, two MVP awards, a Finals MVP award, and set the record for most three-pointers made in a player’s career. He’s deserving of his salary.

Kevin Durant is second with $47.6 million, and Durant’s two NBA titles, MVP award, and overall dominant play makes him worth every penny. Durant might be one of the most hated players today, but this brings in viewership.

When people watch the NBA, it brings the league money. So, this is just another reason why Durant is deserving of his salary.

Nikola Jokic is third on the list, with the same salary as Durant, $47.6 million. What’s there to say that hasn’t been said about Jokic?

The Joker has won two MVP awards and, as of last season, an NBA title. He also won the Finals MVP, for good measure.

Today, Jokic is arguably the best player in the NBA. This is not much of a debate. Jokic is deserving of the money he makes in the NBA.

The name LeBron James doesn’t need any explanation. King James has been the most polarizing player since he stepped foot into the NBA.

LeBron has won four NBA championships, four MVPs, four Finals MVP, and is the NBA’s All-Time leading scorer. If anyone deserves $47.6 million, it’s LeBron James.

The last player to round out our list also earns $47.6 million. Joel Embiid won the MVP award last season after winning his second straight scoring title at 33.1 points per game.

Embiid might not have won an NBA title as of now. Still, his play has earned him his salary. Without Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers would not be in contention for an NBA title.

When you look at the WNBA players’ highest salaries, it’s no comparison to their NBA counterparts. The player who makes the most in the WNBA is Erica Wheeler from the Indiana Fever.

Wheeler has had success in the WNBA, including winning the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game MVP. She became the first WNBA player to be undrafted and win an All-Star Game MVP.

Arike Ogunbowale is second, and she makes $235k. Ogunbowale has played five seasons in the WNBA and has become a three-time All-Star. She also won the 2021 WNBA All-Star Game MVP.

Diana Taurasi, who makes $235k, is by far the most popular WNBA player on our list. Taurasi is arguably the GOAT of the WNBA, winning three WNBA titles in her 19-year career.

With career averages of 19.1 points and 4.3 assists, to go along with an MVP award, Taurasi would’ve been the highest player in the WNBA.

Jewell Loyd is fourth on our WNBA highest earners list, earning the same as the last two players, $235k. Loyd has had a great WNBA career so far.

Since entering the league in 2015, Loyd has won two WNBA titles, the WNBA Rookie of the Year award, and was the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game MVP. Loyd also was the WNBA’s scoring leader in 2023.

Lastly, we have DeWanna Bonner, who earned $234k. Bonner began her WNBA career in 2009 and has won two WNBA championships. She also was named an All-Star five times.

As you see, when we compare Wheeler’s salary of $242k to Stephen Curry’s $51.9 million, there’s a huge gap. In fact, the veteran minimum in the NBA is $900,000 for undrafted rookies and $2.6 million for veterans with over 10 years in the league.

This is a crazy situation, but when you factor in the NBA earns $10 billion per year while the WNBA earns just $60 million per year, you can understand why. If the WNBA players want to earn more money, their league needs to earn more.

That’s a sad judgment, but that’s how the business works. Ultimately, the NBA and WNBA are businesses, and making money comes first.