Caitlin Clark is among the top athletes on On3 Sports' NIL rating list, which assigns a dollar amount based on player name, image and likeness and roster value.
Clark's NIL valuation is $3.1 million, according to On3. And although she is not following the NIL deals she has made in her college career, she may end up earning less annually simply by playing in the WNBA with the potential to earn more through lucrative endorsement deals.
The NCAA's all-time leading scorer could have opted to stay with the Hawkeyes for one more year; He had a fifth year of eligibility, but he decided to turn pro.
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Iowa star Caitlin Clark (Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports)
Some may wonder why Clark might be throwing away all that NIL money for a lower salary as a pro. But in reality that may not be the case.
Michael Schreck, co-founder of Collegiate Sports Management Group, has negotiated media rights deals between several leagues and many sporting events, from the NFL to the Masters.
Schreck, an expert in the field and self-proclaimed college basketball fan, says the influence and impact Clark will have in putting women's basketball on the map is astronomical, so spending your NIL money really isn't a risk at all.
“She's transcending sports right now, and not just women's sports. The amount of influence she's going to bring wherever she goes…” Schreck said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. “She has literally put basketball and women's sports on another level… Yes, she is making money at NIL right now, but the reality is that all of those brands will be signing her long term with her new deal with the WNBA.
“The sky is the limit and the time is right.”
Caitlin Clark (G Fiume/Getty Images)
CAITLIN CLARK STILL HAS BIG GOALS FOR THE FUTURE AFTER A HISTORIC REGULAR SEASON
“All the media money, if they redo the collective bargaining agreement for the WNBA, will give the WNBA Players Association more negotiating leverage than anyone else,” Schreck added. “A once-in-a-generation player, his version of LeBron [James] or Steph Curry has arrived. He will take you to the next part. If you don't think they're going to use it to take advantage of the next media rights negotiation, you're crazy.”
Caitlin Clark (Julia Hansen/USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Clark's Hawkeyes begin the Big Ten tournament this Friday before seeking their first national championship in school history.
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