In Caitlin Clark’s Absence, Women’s College Hoops Has a New Top NIL Earner – Here’s Who Ranks

The NIL era has transformed college sports, for better or worse, and there are multiple college basketball players filling their buckets with sponsorships and agreements before the 2024-25 season tips off November 4.

Coaches are openly discussing how financial incentives and potential endorsement deal opportunities play a major role in recruiting in a way never seen before for student-athletes.

In men’s and women’s college basketball, the top earners collectively rake in an estimated $16.43 million. 

Cooper Flagg, a five-star recruit set to launch his freshman season at Duke, tops the men’s NIL earnings chart at more than $2.5 million. 

On the women’s side, earnings are lower but the average number of endorsements outnumbers the men (3.5 for women vs 2.5 for men). 

Here are the top earners in women’s college basketball entering the 2024-25 season:

Flau’jae Johnson, LSU ($1.5 million)

The extroverted guard has 25 endorsement deals to date as the face of the Lady Tigers.

Talk about influence. Forbes just recognized Johnson as one of the most powerful influencers with his crossover reach and multi-platform appeal bringing her a combined TikTok and Instagram audience over 3.5 million.

Johnson’s biggest partnerships are Experian, Puma, Powerade, and Amazon. A budding rap star, she even recorded a track for the Super Bowl through an endorsement deal with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys.

Paige Bueckers, UConn ($1.4 million)

The senior guard has partnered with numerous well-known brands.

She became the first student-athlete to sign a Gatorade NIL deal in November 2021 and her latest NIL check comes from the new Unrivaled women’s 3-on-3 league.

Haley Cavinder, Miami ($889K)

The fifth-year senior takes the No. 3 spot over her twin sister. As one of the pioneers of the NIL era, she was one of the original student-athletes to capitalize on the landmark NIL ruling in 2021.

Hanna Cavinder, Miami ($863K)

The other half of the Cavinder twins, Hanna also plays point guard at Miami. Usually teaming up with her sister, Hanna has worked with major brands including Victoria’s Secret, Under Armour, and Campbell’s Chunky Soup.

Hailey Van Lith, TCU ($779K)

From Louisville to LSU and now TCU, Van Lith ranks fifth among women’s basketball players in annual NIL earnings.

Like those above her on this list, she’s a social media force with almost 1.5 million followers. Van Lith has worked with 12 brands, including Apple Cash, prominent apparel company Adidas, and LaCroix sparkling water.