Caitlin Clark’s off-court hustle reinforces harsh WNBA question

Caitlin Clark, injured or not, continues to stack headlines. Her latest business move? A Stanley 1913 x Caitlin Clark collection, launching September 3 in her “blacktop” purple-blue-black palette etched with her signature and #22 on every cup.

Clark doesn’t need merch lines and collections to prove her value, but if she’s putting her name on a product, it should carry the same fire she brings to the floor. The Stanley collab makes business sense, but design-wise, it bricked the open three. Instead of feeling like a true Caitlin Clark signature, it comes off as a generic release with her name stamped on it.

Where’s the Clark in the cup?

The design is clean with a sleek rim and glossy finish, but it feels predictable. It doesn’t carry CC’s personality the way it could. Post Malone’s Stanley drop, for example, looked like him: camo wraps, blaze-orange accents, charms, even little tour-themed easter eggs. Fans called it “badass” because it clearly had his stamp on it, even if some nitpicked the missing laser-etched details.

Clark’s cups could’ve gone that route with a little midwestern minimalism, a basketball-texture grip, a matte “court-feel” finish, or even a nod to her Nike CC logo or her from the logo shot. Instead, they landed on ultra-sleek, which reads less iconic and more sterile.

Should players have to hustle this hard?

This deal reminds us just how hard Caitlin hustles off the court, stacking smart business moves, brand deals, and endorsements. But it also raises a bigger question: should WNBA players have to work this hard on the business side just to feel financially secure?

Caitlin turned down $15M for ten weeks from the Big3 to stay loyal to the WNBA. A noble act. But that same payday far exceeds what many players in the league earn in years or their entire career. It’s clear that the structure of the league still leaves players forced to chase brand deals to match their value. Endorsements shouldn’t be the lifeline, they should be the cherry on top.

WNBA hustle vs. NBA salary

Let’s put the WNBA players' off-court hustle into perspective. The average NBA salary is about $13 million, while the average WNBA base salary is about $102,000. That means to reach the same earnings as an NBA player, a WNBA player would need to secure dozens or even hundreds of mid-sized brand deals, depending on the payout. Even with smart endorsements, the financial gap remains enormous. This stark contrast underscores the relentless hustle required by WNBA athletes to achieve financial equality with their NBA counterparts.