Angel Reese Buys Home & Helps Mom Retire Despite Meager WNBA Salary

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese took to social media to celebrate her latest achievement: buying a home.

The reveal comes months after she noted that her WNBA salary wouldn’t even pay her rent. “I just hope y’all know, the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all,” Reese said in October. “I don’t even think that pays one of my bills. Literally.”

Reese’s complaints about WNBA salaries aren’t unfounded. She and phenom Caitlin Clark are both making about $80,000 this season, and the highest possible salary in the WNBA is just over $250,000. By contrast, NBA rookies can make up to around $12 million, and the highest AAV deal in the NBA is nearly $63 million. That’s a world of difference.

While many players continue to push for higher salaries, they make their living in other ways – playing in foreign leagues, the upstart three-on-three league Unrivaled, or through brand deals and sponsorships. Reese, for instance, made a $50,000 bonus just for winning the Unrivaled championship. That bonus was more than 50% of Reese’s regular WNBA salary.

For Reese, who has quickly become an internet personality, sponsorship makes up a big part of her income. She recently released a sportswear collection with Reebok, and has partnered with companies including Wingstop, McDonald’s, Amazon and Coach.

Being vocal about the salary disparity is, says Reese, what will get it addressed. But as WNBA salaries continue to lag behind even the league’s profits, players like Reese often have to be multitalented and good at selling themselves to make a comfortable living.

“They ain’t got the money for us just yet, but it’s coming,” Reese said on a recent episode of her podcast, Unapologetically Angel. “It’s coming. It’s a lot that goes into it. But it’s coming. Trust me, it’s coming.”