If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve probably seen the "Bayou Barbie" taking over. Whether she’s pulling down double-doubles on the court or sitting front row at Paris Fashion Week, Angel Reese is everywhere. But here is the thing that trips people up: her WNBA paycheck. Seriously, if you look at the angel reese salary 2025 numbers on paper, they look like a typo for a global superstar.
She’s basically the face of a movement, yet her league check is less than what some mid-level tech managers pull in. It’s wild. Honestly, it’s one of the most talked-about "disparities" in sports right now. But if you think she’s hurting for cash because of that $74,909 figure, you’re missing the actual story.
The Numbers: Breaking Down the Angel Reese Salary 2025
Let’s get the dry stuff out of the way first. When Angel Reese was drafted 7th overall by the Chicago Sky in 2024, she signed a standard rookie scale contract. In the WNBA, these are pretty much set in stone by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). There isn't much room for negotiation when you're a rookie, no matter how many millions of followers you have.
For 2025, her base salary is exactly $74,909.
That is it. That is the number.
To put that in perspective, her rent in Chicago is reportedly around $8,000 a month. Do the math. Her entire year of WNBA "work" covers about nine months of her apartment. It sounds crazy, right? She’s literally spoken about this on Instagram Live, kinda joking but also being dead serious that her WNBA salary doesn't even cover her living expenses.
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But here’s how the four-year deal actually looks:
- 2024: $73,439 (Rookie year)
- 2025: $74,909 (Current season)
- 2026: $82,399 (Scheduled jump)
- 2027: $93,636 (Optional fourth year)
It’s a slow climb. However, 2025 is a weirdly pivotal year because the league is currently in the middle of massive CBA negotiations. While the angel reese salary 2025 is locked in at that $74k mark for now, the ground is shifting beneath her feet.
The "Unrivaled" Factor and Off-Season Cash
One reason the 2025 calendar year looks so different for Angel's bank account is the 3-on-3 league, Unrivaled. Founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, this league was basically built to keep stars like Reese from having to go to Russia or Turkey to make "real" money during the winter.
Reese isn't just playing; she’s a part-owner of the league.
Players in Unrivaled are reportedly making six-figure salaries for just a few months of work. We’re talking $100,000 to $250,000 minimum. So, while her Chicago Sky check is the one everyone likes to tweet about to show how "underpaid" women are, her actual basketball-related income in 2025 is likely triple what the WNBA is paying her.
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Endorsements: Where the Real Millions Live
If we're being real, Angel Reese is a marketing machine that happens to be elite at basketball. Forbes recently estimated her total 2025 earnings at roughly $9.4 million.
Think about that. $75,000 from the Sky. $9.3 million from everything else.
She’s the third highest-paid WNBA player in terms of total take-home pay, trailing only Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu. Her portfolio is basically a "Who's Who" of corporate America. She’s got the "Reese’s Pieces" deal with Reese’s (obviously), a massive multi-year partnership with Reebok where she’s getting her own signature shoe, and deals with brands like Beats by Dre, Gatorade, and Airbnb.
Then there’s the "To the Chi" podcast. She’s building a media empire while she’s still on her rookie contract.
Why 2025 is a "Lame Duck" Salary Year
There is a lot of tension right now. The players’ union (WNBPA) opted out of the current CBA because the league’s revenue is exploding—think TV deals and sold-out arenas—but the players are stuck on these old salary scales.
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Reese has been vocal about this. She knows she’s the "new generation" that is driving the value up, but she’s also stuck in a contract that was signed before the "Caitlin/Angel" explosion fully hit the ledger.
Experts like Terri Carmichael Jackson have pointed out that the 2025 season is essentially the last "cheap" year for the league. By 2026, those $74,000 salaries might look like ancient history. The league’s latest proposal reportedly includes a $1 million base salary for top players starting in 2026.
Is She Actually Underpaid?
It depends on who you ask. If you look at the revenue she generates for the Chicago Sky—jersey sales, ticket spikes, media mentions—she’s worth way more than $75k. The Sky’s valuation has jumped significantly since she arrived.
On the other hand, some traditionalists argue that the league is still growing and can’t afford NBA-level salaries yet. But Reese isn't waiting for the league to catch up. She’s used her angel reese salary 2025 as a platform rather than a primary income source.
She’s basically a venture capitalist in a jersey.
What You Can Learn from the "Angel Reese Model"
- Diversify immediately: Don’t rely on your primary "employer" for 100% of your worth.
- Leverage your brand: Reese knew her value was in her personality and her "double-double" consistency. She sold that to brands before the WNBA even cut her first check.
- Equity over Cash: Her involvement in Unrivaled shows she’s looking for ownership, not just a paycheck.
The reality of the angel reese salary 2025 is that it’s a symbol. It’s a symbol of how far the WNBA has to go, but also a testament to how the modern athlete doesn't need a league to be their sole provider anymore.
If you're looking to track how this changes, keep an eye on the CBA updates dropping throughout the 2025 season. The moment that new deal is signed, expect Reese’s "on-court" value to finally start reflecting her "off-court" reality. You should also watch her Reebok signature shoe launch later this year; that’s where the "generational wealth" she talks about really starts to solidify.