Why Caitlin Clark's 2026 salary is projected to be 1.5 times higher than Angel Reese

The rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark is set to be reflected in their salaries for the 2026 WNBA season.

Clark and Reese are ticketed for raises as the league's historic new CBA goes into effect. The salary cap for each team will be bumped up to $7 million, which is good news for the Reese's rebuilding Chicago Sky and potentially stressful news for Clark's Indiana Fever.

MORE: Fever's Aliyah Boston will get a bigger salary increase than Cailtin Clark and here's why

In their first two WNBA seasons, Reese and Clark both have been selected to a pair of All-Star Games, and they finished second and first (respectively) in 2024 Rookie of the Year voting.

But Clark is going to get a larger salary increase in 2026 relative to Reese, even though they are two of the league's budding superstars.

This is because Clark was named to an All-WNBA team after her rookie year, while Reese has yet to merit selection to one.

Due to that fact, Reese's salary will grow to approximately $350,000, more than four times her $81,000 salary in 2025. But Clark's pay will grow from $85,000 to $530,000 -- 1.5 times higher than Reese.

In addition, Clark is eligible to sign a max contract extension worth more than $1 million in 2027 thanks to the "EPIC" provision in the new CBA. That pathway doesn't open for Reese in 2026, unless she demonstrates continued growth as a scorer and a ball-handler to complement her elite rebounding.

More WNBA news:

• We now know how much money Caitlin Clark will make when WNBA's new CBA takes effect

• Why the Liberty might not be able to keep Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu together

• When is the WNBA expansion draft? What to know about Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo rosters

• Why Caitlin Clark still won't make the WNBA's average salary under new CBA