Shocking! Caitlin Clark Turns Down $1 Billion Offer and Fans Can’t Believe the Reason Why!

The Unrivaled league starts on 17 January and will run for 9 weeks

The year 2024 was monumental for Caitlin Clark, filled with individual accolades that I’ll get to later. However, she didn’t win a team title, as the Iowa Hawkeyes fell to South Carolina 87-75 in the National Championship, their second consecutive championship loss after falling to Angel Reese’s LSU in 2023. With the Indiana Fever, Clark was eliminated in the first round by the Connecticut Sun. Despite that, she led the team to their first playoff appearance since 2016 and posted their highest win total (20) since the 2015 season, when they won the championship under Stephanie White. White returns as the Fever’s head coach in 2025, raising expectations for both Clark and the team.

Caitlin Clark’s Salary Offered and Denied for the Unrivaled League

The WNBA season ended in October and the next one begins in May, leaving Clark nearly seven months without high-level competition. The gap could have been shorter had she chosen to participate in the inaugural season of the Unrivaled League, which will feature 36 WNBA players divided into six teams of six competing in a brand-new 3v3 basketball format.

League president Alex Bazzell, who is married to Napheesa Collier – one of the league’s founders along with Breanna Stewart – commented on Clark’s absence: “Anyone in our position would want Caitlin 100 percent. It’s clear what kind of numbers she brings, she’s an outlier.” This statement came after Clark reportedly turned down an offer of over $1 million for the nine-week duration of the league. Bazzell shared these thoughts and more about the league’s inaugural season on the “Good Game with Sarah Spain” podcast.

The reality is that Caitlin Clark’s primary income comes from endorsements rather than her salary with the Indiana Fever, as she has a 4-year, $338,056 contract. It may seem unwise to turn down nearly three times her four-year salary for just nine weeks of play, but money doesn’t seem to be a pressing factor for her at the moment. With her endorsement deals thriving, it’s clear that she had her reasons for turning down the offer. Aside from Clark’s absence, the Unrivaled League is also making history by offering the highest average salaries in women’s sports, with all 36 players receiving equity.

The Real Reason for her Absence

As for Clark, she cited rest as her reason for skipping Unrivaled. Prior to her elimination with the Fever, she only had a brief break during the WNBA’s Olympic break in 2024. Clark hasn’t had that kind of downtime since her junior season in 2023, as she navigated a packed schedule that included NCAA games, a loss to South Carolina in the College Final just days before the WNBA Draft, preseason games, the regular season and the playoffs. After an exhausting year of individual accolades and record-breaking performances, she’s earned her rest and let’s remember she is only 22! But in 2025, Clark will undoubtedly prioritize winning with her team over personal accomplishments.

Clark is undeniably a sports phenomenon and a role model for future generations of women who aspire to reach the pinnacle of athletic excellence. Her influence played a major role in the WNBA’s record-breaking 2024 season in terms of viewership, attendance and merchandise sales, among other milestones. Let’s hope she can avoid injuries and have a historic career. For now, let’s give her time to continue to amaze us.

Among her many accolades this year, the most notable to me are:

Time Magazine Athlete of the Year (second female athlete in history)
AP Female Athlete of the Year (fourth women’s basketball player)
NCAA Division I All-Time Scoring Leader (both men and women)
WNBA Rookie of the Year
All-WNBA First Team (5th rookie ever)
Retired Iowa Hawkeyes No. 22 jersey
WNBA Single-Game Assists Record (19)
WNBA Single-Season Assists Record (337)