Angel Reese is making light of “living beyond her means” while playing for the WNBA. According to the Chicago Sky star’s latest video, her (ridiculously low) $74,000 annual salary isn’t enough to cover her expensive rent.
Source: John Nacion / Getty
In an Instagram Live video shared on Oct. 15, the 22-year-old athlete revealed that she only makes $74,000 as a rookie with the league. Reese, who rose to fame as a forward with the Louisiana State University Tigers, encouraged her haters to keep on doubting her as “hating” helps her to pay “them bills.”
How Much Does Angel Reese Make With The WNBA?
Reese was selected as the seventh overall pick by the Chicago Sky this year and is set to earn $324,383 over the next four seasons. Her salary started at $73,439, according to Sports Rac, with increases leading to a team option of $93,636 in her fourth year, but that apparently isn’t enough to cover her daily expenses.
“I just hope you know the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all,” the Maryland native told fans in her video which was reposted by the SpilledMilkSM blog on Tuesday. “I don’t even think that pays one of my bills. Literally, I’m trying to think of my rent for where I stay at. Let me do the math real quick. I don’t even know my [WNBA] salary. $74,000?”
Luckily, Reese has the option of boosting her salary thanks to additional incentives with the WNBA. For example, if she was selected to participate in an All-Star game, she could boost her salary by an additional $2,575, according to USA Today. The extra dough would help Reese pay her expensive rent in Chicago, which after crunching some numbers with a friend off camera, she revealed to be $8,000 a month.
“I’m living beyond my means!” she gasped, before letting out a huge chuckle. “Babe, if y’all thought… That WNBA check don’t pay a thing. Did that even pay my car note?… I wouldn’t even be able to eat a sandwich with that. I wouldn’t even be able to eat. I wouldn’t be able to live,” the baller added toward the end of the clip, according to Vibe.
Reese Makes Millions Off Her NIL Deals
Fortunately, Reese has multiple revenue streams to help cover her expenses. In 2023, she signed a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with Reebok, a major financial boost that raised her NIL valuation to $1.7 million—making her one of the top-ranked women’s basketball athletes in this area, according to On3. Reese ranks No. 7 in the On3 NIL 100, the first comprehensive ranking of high school and college athletes based on their NIL valuation.
As reported by Yahoo Sports, Reese secured 17 NIL deals from 2022 to 2023, partnering with notable brands such as Sports Illustrated, Calvin Klein, ZOA Energy, and Goldman Sachs, among others. In a campaign ad for Goldman Sachs released in March, the basketball champ thanked her mother for instilling a strong work ethic and dedication into her throughout childhood.
“I owe so much to my mom,” the star shared in the campaign video posted to her Instagram account on March 18. “She instilled in me my confidence, work ethic and my commitment to my community. It’s clear that from her generation to today, Black women are still facing challenges. But I believe change is possible.”
Angel Reese is out here hustling! What do you think of her tight WNBA salary?