Caitlin Clark misses out on higher Nike payday and millions in WNBA offseason

It became clear during her time at the University of Iowa that Caitlin Clark was going to be a fixture amongst the sports world for years to come.

Caitlin Clark's fame seems to have no bounds, as her WNBA rookie season only enhanced her profile.

Clark has been in high demand during the WNBA offseason. A new three on three basketball league called Unrivaled was willing to pay her at least $1 million to play 10 weeks of basketball, according to ESPN. They realized how much the league would stand to benefit if someone of Clark's stature would participate.

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However, Clark declined to play with Unrivaled, which meant that she will not receive the handsome sum of money the league's founders were willing to bestow upon her.

Even though she isn't going to be playing high profile hoops this offseason, Caitlin Clark hasn't exactly been sitting still.

The Indiana Fever star found a new way to keep her competitive fire stoked during the WNBA offseason.

Clark swapped the basketball court for the golf course as she lined up in a Pro-Am event with arguably the most incredible women's golfer of all time.

The WNBA superstar participated in The Annika Tournament, teaming up with the event's host, Annika Sorenstam, the ten-time major winner in women's golf.

Clark played in the Pro-Am event on November 13th, and joined her partner, Sorenstam, on a panel to discuss women's sports.

According to the Annika website, the prize pot up for grabs at the event was $3.25 million (£2.4m, €2.9m), and with Clark being with the best player, she hoped to be challenging for the startling sum of money.

However, despite her chances of winning the event, Clark was not allowed to claim any prize money.

According to the United States Golf Association, an amateur playing in a scratch competition is allowed to accept any prize, including prize money of up to $1000 (£700/€948) in value.

The rule needs to be revised and created headlines earlier in 2024 when university student Nick Dunlap was prevented from securing $1.5 million (£1.1m/€1.3m) after winning the American Express on the PGA Tour.

After being swept in the opening round of the WNBA Playoffs, Clark vowed to play more golf in the off-season, and it looks like she will keep that promise.

The basketball sensation has already profoundly impacted the golfing community, with two-time major champion Zach Johnson and Ludvig Aberg sharing their thoughts on the WNBA star.

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According to the Express, Johnson said: "I can't speak highly enough about how she handles herself, whether it's in interviews or just the way she goes about her work. She's had a lot of awards and success, but she always goes back to her team."

Up-and-coming star Ludvig Aberg praised Clark similarly: "She's a rockstar. I was just a passenger today. It was really cool."

In October 2024, Clark expressed her love for golf and excitement about competing with such a historic champion in the women's game.

"I love golf, so the opportunity to play in the pro-am for a tournament with a legend like Annika Sorenstam's name on it is so exciting."

Sorenstam expressed her excitement about playing with Clark, having followed her career in college and now on the WNBA stage.

"I have been following Caitlin's career during college and now on the WNBA stage, and what she is doing to bring attention to women's sports both on and off the court is outstanding." She added: "I'm excited to meet Caitlin and for her to join us at Pelican Golf Club in November."

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Caitlin Clark has also potentially missed out on a lucrative lifetime contract from Nike, according to one of its most prominent executives. Sonny Vaccaro told TMZ Sports that they should have signed her to a deal similar to the one they have with Michael Jordan.

Instead, Nike signed Clark to an eight-year, $28 million deal in the spring of 2024. That may prove to be a huge bargain for Nike, but it also opens the door for her to sign another shoe deal in the prime of her WNBA career.