Over four years at Iowa and in her rookie season with the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark has reshaped the conversation around women’s basketball. With an electric playstyle reminiscent of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, Clark continues to captivate fans worldwide.
However, in a friendly shooting competition against NFL legend and two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning, Clark suffered a surprising loss — but she won over fans with her response.
Caitlin Clark vs. Eli Manning: The Shooting Competition You Never Knew You Needed
The WNBA Rookie of the Year faced off against the all-time great quarterback in Pop-A-Shot and the matchup did not disappoint. Clark took an early lead, but once Manning got going, he couldn’t miss.
The former New York Giants star got red-hot, which led to an unexpected victory over Clark.
“I told you, I’m bad at Pop-A-Shot!” Clark said during the shootout.
The final score was 76-51 — a big loss for Clark, who is the all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball history.
Eli Manning beating Caitlin Clark in Pop A Shot!! There’s a first for everything Caitlin. She handled the loss well though… pic.twitter.com/146pZV9nIL
— ericaf455 (@ericaf455) March 6, 2025
Manning’s 76 points was also the highest score recorded on that machine, something the two-time Super Bowl MVP pointed out right away. Even Clark had to give him credit.
“Give it up for Eli. That was actually really good,” she said. “He needs to give me lessons!”
“Thank you for letting me win,” Manning said with a laugh. “We do a lot of games on this show. I’ve never beaten anyone before.”
Clark took it in stride, laughing, “I’m honored to be the first.”
As the host joked, the short-range shots may not have suited the NCAA’s all-time 3-point leader. But the Fever will need her sharpshooting if they want to build on last season.
Breaking Down Clark’s Rookie Season and Contract
After three straight years of picking near the top of the draft, the Fever returned to the playoffs thanks to a standout season from Clark, who led the team in points (19.2), assists (8.4), and steals (1.3).
Clark was just as dominant in two playoff games, totaling 36 points and 17 assists, and four steals. Her incredible rookie campaign earned her All-WNBA First Team honors, along with the Rookie of the Year award.
In her debut season with the Fever in 2024, Clark set the WNBA record for assists in a season with 337, recorded the first-ever two triple-doubles by a rookie, and set single-season rookie records for both points and 3-pointers made. Her dazzling play not only made her an instant fan favourite but also immensely boosted the league’s visibility.
Yes, you should get the WNBA League Pass.
Look at these Caitlin Clark shots! pic.twitter.com/Mx3eTb0vUf— David Astramskas (@redapples) May 4, 2024
In fact, the Fever’s total home attendance surged drastically to a record of 340,715 fans, breaking the longstanding mark held by the New York Liberty in 2001.
Despite her incredible rookie season, Clark’s WNBA salary paints a stark picture of the current WNBA pay structure. As a rookie, she signed a four-year contract worth approximately $338,056. Here’s how that breaks down:
- 2024: $76,535
- 2025: $78,066
- 2026: $86,873
- 2027: $97,582 (with a team option for the final year)
While these figures are standard for all WNBA rookie contracts under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), they are a far cry from the economic value she brings to the league.
To put it into perspective, Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, signed a four-year, $57 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks, with an average salary of $14.25 million. Despite being drafted in the exact same position as Clark, Risacher is making far more, and a lot of casual fans probably don’t even know who he is.
In fact, an NBA rookie on a minimum deal for the 2024-25 season earns well over $1 million, meaning that even a minimum NBA contract would match Clark’s annual WNBA salary in just six games.
Recently, Clark’s agent has said that the WNBA will never be able to pay Clark her actual worth given what she’s bringing to the league in terms of interest and visibility.
“Will Caitlin Clark ever be paid by the WNBA what she’s really worth to that league? I don’t think that’s possible,” Erin Kane told ESPN.
Thankfully, Clark is also doing well off the court. She signed an eight-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Nike—the largest deal in women’s basketball history. Additional sponsorships with brands like Gatorade, State Farm, and Wilson have further elevated her earnings, catapulting her total income well into the millions.
