The WNBA is in the middle of a financial revolution. Thanks to a groundbreaking new collective bargaining agreement, the league's top stars are finally signing contracts that push into seven figures—a milestone that signals just how far the game has come. But here's the twist: a massive paycheck doesn't always mean massive card values. In the sports card hobby, the connection between real-world earnings and cardboard clout isn't always straightforward.
We took a closer look at seven of the highest-paid players in the WNBA—all earning $1.2 million or more—to see how their most expensive card sales measure up. Then, we compared them to the new wave of hobby superstars to find out where the market is really putting its money.
Let's start with A'ja Wilson. Drafted first overall in 2018, she's already built a legacy that rivals the all-time greats. With four MVP awards and three WNBA Championships with the Las Vegas Aces, Wilson made history by becoming the first player ever to win a scoring title, Championship, Finals MVP, regular season MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year in a single season. Her most valuable card? A 2018 Rittenhouse WNBA Inscription Auto Game Action PSA 10 that sold for $6,500. Impressive, but not quite the stratospheric numbers you might expect for a player of her caliber.
Then there's Napheesa Collier, who burst onto the scene by winning Rookie of the Year in 2019 and has since become the cornerstone of the Minnesota Lynx. A multi-time All-Star and perennial member of the WNBA All-Defensive First Team, Collier recently led her squad deep into the playoffs. Yet her top card—a 2022 Panini Prizm WNBA Far Out Prizms Gold Vinyl #5 PSA 10—sold for just $1,839.99 on eBay. For a top earner, that's still a bargain by hobby standards.
Kelsey Mitchell, drafted second overall in 2018, has been a scoring machine for the Indiana Fever throughout her career. A multi-time All-Star who consistently ranks among the league's top scorers, Mitchell has seen some big sales—but mostly on multi-player cards featuring her superstar teammate Caitlin Clark. Her highest solo card, the ultra-rare 2025 Panini Prizm White Spark, tells a different story: even elite talent doesn't always command top-dollar solo card prices in this market.
So what's going on? While the WNBA's financial landscape is shifting toward bigger contracts, the hobby market is still finding its footing. The new generation of collectors is gravitating toward fresh faces and rising stars, leaving even the league's highest-paid players with card values that don't always reflect their on-court dominance. For savvy collectors, that might just mean opportunity.