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The $110,000 the Atlanta Dream’s Alisha Gray took home for winning both contests at last year’s All-Star weekend was equal to 62% of her WNBA salary, and you can bet she kept the oversized checks. – Aflac
When one of the biggest stars in the WNBA says she wants the league’s own 3-point contest to be her first go at the event, it pays to make it worth players’ time.
Reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year and 3-point leader Caitlin Clark faced speculation about her potential involvement in the 3-point contest at NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco back in February. When asked about it, Clark’s representatives at Excel Sports Management denied the claim, telling The Athletic in a statement that “she wants her first 3-point contest to be at WNBA All-Star in Indianapolis this summer.”
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When she steps to the line in July, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) players’ union and supplemental insurance company Aflac are going to make sure that she (or anyone else who wins the competition) is paid as much for it as their NBA counterparts. Aflac is kicking in $115,000 to boost the prize pool for both the 3-point contest and the All-Star skills challenge.
Caitlin Clark and Gainbridge give Indianapolis an assist on WNBA Draft Day as the Indiana Fever
Caitlin Clark and Gainbridge Give Indianapolis An Assist on WNBA Draft Day
Aflac is giving an extra $60,000 to the winner of the 3-point contest, with the skills challenge winner taking another $55,000. Based on the league’s 2020 collective bargaining agreement, which players just opted out of in 2020, the WNBA itself provides the winners of both competitions $2,575 each.
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“Aflac stands with our players when it matters most, sending a powerful message: They are seen, they are valued, and they are worth investing in,” said Terri Jackson, executive director of the WNBPA. “As an official partner now in year two, Aflac’s continued commitment creates a ripple effect-lifting not just the women in those pivotal moments, but the entire women’s sports industry.”
The power of 3
When the company first teamed with the WNBPA on the All-Star prize pool last year, it ended up giving all $110,000 of its contribution to the Atlanta Dream’s Allisha Gray-the first player to win both contests in one night. That prize money also gave Gray the equivalent of 62% of her $185,000 WNBA salary within the same evening, which Aflac, the WNBPA, and University of South Carolina coach Dawn Staley were pleased to call out while giving Gray and her oversized checks a cameo in a recent ad.
This year, winners will get their checks in a players’ lounge that the WNBPA and Aflac are building out for the weekend.
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“This collaboration enables us to champion some of America’s most influential athletes, just as we provide direct cash payments to our valued policyholders,” said Aflac svp and CMO Garth Knutson.
With the WNBA’s new media rights deal with Disney, Amazon Prime Video and NBCUniversal supplementing existing deals with CBS and Ion starting in 2026, the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league wrapping up its first higher-salaried season on TNT Sports, and a CBA battle looming, player compensation will be at the core of discussions surrounding this year’s WNBA season. But at a time when brands have increasing influence on the direction of the sport, they’re taking a seat and a side in labor discussions as well.
“Aflac’s investment in us isn’t a one-off. It’s year two. They are committing to us as an official partner of the WNBPA, and that’s a real commitment,” said WNBPA president and Seattle Storm All-Star Nneka Ogwumike. “We’re excited about what’s ahead as we grow this together. It’s not just about the rewards; it’s about building a future where our value is undeniable.”
