As the WNBA's popularity continues to surge, fans and aspiring athletes are increasingly curious about the financial side of the sport. A name frequently in the spotlight is DiJonai Carrington, whose tenacious play and dynamic personality have made her a rising star. This raises a common and important query: "What is DiJonai Carrington's salary?"
While an individual's specific contract is private, we can analyze the public data, league-wide salary structures, and external earning potential to build a comprehensive picture. A player's earnings are a complex combination of a base salary set by a collective bargaining agreement, performance-based bonuses, and lucrative off-court opportunities. For top-tier players in the WNBA, total earnings can range from five to well into seven figures annually when all sources are considered.
This article will break down the salary structure for a WNBA player like DiJonai Carrington, explore the key factors that dictate their income, and look at the promising financial future of the league.
What Does a WNBA Player Do?
The role of a professional WNBA player extends far beyond the 94 feet of the basketball court. Their responsibilities constitute a full-time, high-performance career that demands elite physical and mental dedication.
Core duties include:
- Intensive Training: Daily practice, strength and conditioning sessions, film study, and working with coaches to refine skills and game strategy.
- Competition: Traveling across the country to compete in a demanding regular-season schedule, plus potential playoff and championship games.
- Media and Public Relations: Participating in pre- and post-game interviews, press conferences, and team-sponsored media events to engage with fans and promote the league.
- Community Engagement: Acting as ambassadors for their team and the WNBA, often participating in clinics, charity events, and local outreach programs.
- Personal Brand Management: Building a personal brand through social media, public appearances, and endorsement partnerships, which is a critical component of their overall career and earnings.
Average WNBA Player Salary
A WNBA player's salary is not arbitrary; it is strictly governed by the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This agreement, negotiated between the league and the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), sets the salary scale for all players.
According to the 2024 WNBA CBA figures, as reported by authoritative sports contract tracker Spotrac, the salary landscape is as follows:
- Rookie Scale Salary: For 2024 draftees, salaries are tiered by pick. The #1-4 picks earn approximately $76,535 in their first year. Salaries for later first-round, second-round, and third-round picks are progressively lower.
- Veteran Minimum Salary: A player's minimum salary increases with experience. For players with 0-2 years of service, the 2024 minimum is $64,154. For players with 3 or more years of service, the minimum is $76,535.
- Maximum Salary: For 2024, the standard maximum salary for a veteran player is $208,219.
- "Supermax" Salary: Top-tier players who meet specific criteria (such as winning MVP or DPOY, or being named to an All-WNBA team) can qualify for a "supermaximum" salary, which is $241,984 for the 2024 season.
Based on her draft year (2021) and years of service, DiJonai Carrington's 2024 base salary with the Connecticut Sun is reported by Spotrac to be $76,535. This places her on a standard veteran contract for a player with her level of experience. However, this base salary is only the starting point of her total earning potential.
Key Factors That Influence Salary
A player's base salary and overall income are influenced by several critical factors. Understanding these elements is key to seeing the full financial picture.
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Draft Position and Rookie Scale Contracts
Where a player is selected in the WNBA Draft determines their first contract. The CBA outlines a "rookie scale" with set salaries for the first four years of a player's career, with the highest salaries reserved for the top picks. DiJonai Carrington was the 20th overall pick in the 2021 draft, which placed her on a specific rookie contract for her first few years in the league before she became eligible for her current veteran contract.
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Years of Experience
Experience is one of the most significant factors in the WNBA. The CBA explicitly rewards longevity. As players accumulate "years of service," they become eligible for higher minimum salaries and, eventually, maximum-level contracts. A player with six or more years of experience can sign for the maximum salary, whereas a newer player cannot. This structure incentivizes players to build long and impactful careers in the league.
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Geographic Location
Unlike in many corporate professions, a team's geographic location does not directly impact the CBA-mandated salary caps or minimums. A player on a max contract earns the same base salary whether they play in New York City or Indianapolis. However, location has an indirect financial impact. Players in states with no state income tax (like Texas or Florida) will have a higher take-home pay than a player earning the same salary in a high-tax state like California or New York.
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Beyond the Base Salary: Endorsements and Overseas Contracts
This is where a player's earnings can multiply significantly.
- Endorsements: Charismatic and high-performing players like DiJonai Carrington can secure lucrative endorsement deals with shoe companies (like Adidas, Nike, or Puma), sports drinks, apparel brands, and more. These deals can often be worth far more than their WNBA salary.
- Overseas Play: The WNBA season runs during the summer, leaving the traditional basketball season (fall through spring) open. Many WNBA players, from rookies to superstars, sign contracts to play for professional leagues in Europe, Asia, and Australia, where top players can earn salaries ranging from $100,000 to over $1 million for a single season, according to reports from Forbes and other sports outlets.
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Performance Bonuses and League Accolades
The WNBA CBA includes a robust system of performance bonuses that can substantially increase a player's income. According to the CBA, these bonuses include:
- WNBA MVP: $15,450
- Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY): $5,150
- All-Star Game MVP: $5,150
- All-WNBA First Team Selection: $10,300
- WNBA All-Defensive First Team Selection: $5,150
As a player known for her defense, an accolade like making the All-Defensive team would provide a direct financial boost to Carrington's income.
Job Outlook
The professional outlook for WNBA players is exceptionally bright. The league is experiencing unprecedented growth in nearly every metric.
According to official WNBA communications and reports from major outlets like ESPN and Forbes:
- Viewership is soaring: The 2023 season was the most-watched regular season in over two decades, with viewership up significantly across all major networks. The arrival of high-profile rookies in 2024 has pushed these numbers even higher.
- League Expansion: The WNBA is expanding, with a new team in the San Francisco Bay Area starting in 2025 and more cities expected to be announced. This creates more roster spots and job opportunities for elite players.
- Increased Investment: The league has seen a massive influx of capital, including a $75 million fundraising round in 2022. This capital is being used to improve player experience and marketing, which will lead to more valuable media rights deals in the future.
This momentum strongly suggests that the WNBA's salary caps, maximum salaries, and bonus pools will increase significantly when the next CBA is negotiated, leading to higher earning potential for all players.
Conclusion
Analyzing DiJonai Carrington's salary reveals a compelling story about the financial realities of a modern professional athlete. While her base WNBA salary is determined by league-wide rules based on experience, her true earning power is a mosaic built from several income streams.
For anyone considering a career in professional basketball or simply interested in the business of the WNBA, here are the key takeaways:
- The CBA is King: Base salaries are structured and transparent, rewarding experience and top-tier performance.
- Performance Pays: On-court success directly translates to higher potential salaries and valuable league bonuses.
- Your Brand is Your Business: The most significant financial opportunities often lie off the court through endorsements and personal brand building.
- The Future is Bright: The WNBA is on a steep growth trajectory, and the financial rewards for its players are set to increase dramatically in the coming years.
DiJonai Carrington's career is a testament to the fact that while the journey is demanding, the opportunity for both professional and financial success in the WNBA has never been greater.