New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu is considered one of the most exciting players in the WNBA.
Known for her scoring prowess and exceptional shooting abilities, Ionescu enjoyed a highly successful college basketball career with the Oregon Ducks from 2016 to 2020. She is the only NCAA player with 2,000 points, 1,000 assists, and 1,000 rebounds in her collegiate career.
The New York Liberty selected her with the first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, but an injured ankle hampered her much-anticipated rookie season.
Since then, the 26-year-old has hit her stride, earning selections for the WNBA All-Star Game and the All-WNBA Second Team in 2022 and 2023.
Additionally, she secured victory in the WNBA Three-Point Shootout in 2023, establishing a record for the highest points in a round with an impressive 37.
This achievement surpassed even the NBA record of 31 held by Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry. Notably, she made 25 of her final 27 attempts during the competition.
Let's look at Sabrina Ionescu's contract, salary, and career earnings.
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Sabrina Ionescu's Contract: $410,060
Just before the 2023 WNBA season started, Sabrina Ionescu agreed to a two-year contract extension with the New York Liberty valued at $410,060, which is set to take effect in the 2024 and 2025 campaigns.
As per the terms of her extension, Ionescu is slated to receive $202,000 in 2024 and $208,060 in 2025. These figures fall slightly below the WNBA's maximum salaries specified for those seasons, which are $208,219 and $214,466, respectively.
For context, the lowest possible salary for an NBA player in the 2023-24 season is $1.1 million.
Sabrina Ionescu Salary
During the 2023 WNBA season, in which her team advanced to the WNBA Finals, Sabrina Ionescu earned $86,701 for that campaign, as reported by HerHoopStats.
To put this in perspective, she earned slightly more than the average income in New York, which is $74,870, according to business and financial outlet Forbes. In the 2022 season, Ionescu barely exceeded that threshold, earning $76,297.
For the upcoming 2024 season, Ionescu is poised to experience a massive pay increase as her new contract extension takes effect. Her earnings will reach $202,000, more than doubling her previous salary.
However, this figure is still less than the average salary of an NBA player in the 2023-24 NBA season, which is set at $9.7 million.
This discrepancy is astounding, considering that Ionescu is already established as one of the world's best women's basketball players.
Sabrina Ionescu's Career Earnings
By the conclusion of the 2023 WNBA season, Sabrina Ionescu is expected to have accumulated $300,358 exclusively from her WNBA salary over her first four seasons in the league.
This calculation does not incorporate potential earnings from off-court activities, such as endorsements and partnerships. Moreover, the mentioned amount does not factor in deductions like taxes, agent fees, or other related business expenses.
Looking forward to the end of her contract after the 2025 WNBA season, the two-time WNBA All-Star is projected to have amassed career earnings of $710,418 by that time.
As Ionescu approaches the age of 28, during negotiations for her next contract, she is likely to seek a more lucrative deal, considering the WNBA's consistent growth, her advancing skills, and the fact that she will be in her prime at that time.
Sabrina Ionescu's Yearly Earnings Per Season:
2020: $68,000
2021: $69,360
2022: $76,297
2023: $86,701
Sabrina Ionescu's upcoming earnings:
2024: $202,000
2025: $208,060
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