ST.Caitlin Clark Named “Most Powerful Athlete” by Forbes: The Billionaire-Tier Ranking That Has Angel Reese “Furious”

In the world of professional sports, power is usually measured in championships, MVP trophies, and record-breaking stats. But every once in a while, a shift occurs that redefines what it means to be a superstar. That moment has arrived for the WNBA, and it has come in the form of a stunning new ranking from Forbes. The business magazine’s “2025 Most Powerful Women in Sports” list has just dropped, and it has done more than just ruffle a few feathers—it has completely upended the established order of women’s basketball, crowning Caitlin Clark not just as a top player, but as a business titan operating in a league of her own.

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The Power Ranking That Shocked the World

The headline is undeniable: Caitlin Clark has landed at number four on the Forbes list. To put that into perspective, she isn’t just the highest-ranked WNBA player; she is the highest-ranked athlete on the entire list. She sits comfortably above global icons like Serena Williams, Simone Biles, and Coco Gauff. The only women ranked higher than the 23-year-old Indiana Fever guard are not athletes at all—they are billionaires, team owners, and CEOs of major corporations like FanDuel and Nike.

Clark is no longer just competing against other point guards; she is rubbing shoulders with the women who own the teams and run the leagues. Forbes justified this unprecedented ranking by looking beyond the box score. They analyzed “proprietary team valuations, company and sport revenue figures, media mentions, and social media follower and engagement data.” In their eyes, Clark is not merely an employee of the WNBA; she is a “business empire disguised as a 23-year-old phenom.”

The 8.1 Million Dollar Rookie

The financial data released alongside the ranking paints a stark picture of the new reality. In her rookie season alone, Clark raked in an estimated $8.1 million. The vast majority of this—over 99%—came from her off-court business dealings. Her actual WNBA salary was a modest $70,000 range figure, a drop in the bucket compared to the checks written by partners like Nike, Gatorade, and Wilson.

This $8.1 million figure is more than just a large number; it is a disruptor. Clark earned more in her first year than WNBA legends like Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi earned in decades of professional play. She is out-earning entire WNBA franchise valuations. While other players are negotiating for incremental salary increases, Clark has bypassed the system entirely, leveraging her massive popularity to create a personal economy that rivals small market teams. Nike isn’t paying her to wear shoes; they are betting that she can move product like Michael Jordan. And the numbers say they are right.

The “Furious” Fallout

However, where there is light, there is shadow. The Forbes list has reignited the flames of a narrative that has followed Clark since her college days: the simmering tension with Chicago Sky star Angel Reese. According to reports and analysis circulating within the basketball world, the reaction from the Reese camp has been less than celebratory. Reese, who has frequently positioned herself as a rival and equal to Clark, did not make the Forbes list at all.

Critics and commentators are pointing to this disparity as the final nail in the coffin of the “rivalry” debate. The video breakdown suggests a pattern of behavior from Reese—from social media timing to subtle digs—that stems from this widening gap. When Clark signed with Nike, Reese announced her Reebok deal. When Clark breaks a record, Reese emphasizes her own double-doubles. But the Forbes ranking is a metric that cannot be spun. It is a cold, hard assessment of market value and influence.

The “jealousy” narrative, while often dismissed by players as media fabrication, finds fuel in these moments. The silence from certain corners of the WNBA when Clark achieves these milestones is deafening. While the LPGA and other sports organizations have rushed to embrace Clark’s crossover appeal, parts of the WNBA ecosystem—including some of her peers—seem to struggle with the reality that one player is generating over a quarter of the league’s entire economic activity.

The Economic Engine of the WNBA

The Forbes ranking is validated by undeniable data. The “Caitlin Clark Effect” is not a myth; it is a measurable economic force. In 2024, Clark was responsible for driving a staggering 26.5% of the WNBA’s total economic activity. When she plays, viewership on networks like ESPN and ABC skyrockets into the millions. When she is absent—as seen during the All-Star weekend she missed due to injury—viewership dropped by 36% and ticket prices plummeted by nearly 50%.

This is the power that Forbes recognized. It isn’t just about making three-pointers; it’s about moving markets. Clark sells out opposing arenas, forcing teams to move games to larger venues. She drives merchandise sales that benefit the entire league. She brings in casual fans who have never watched a minute of women’s basketball before.

Conclusion: A League of One

Ultimately, the Forbes list serves as a wake-up call. It draws a clear line between being a great basketball player and being a cultural phenomenon. Angel Reese is a phenomenal talent and a marketing star in her own right, but Caitlin Clark has ascended to a different stratosphere. She is operating as a corporation, a movement, and a singular economic engine.

For the “haters” and the skeptics, the $8.1 million earnings and the number four power ranking are difficult pills to swallow. They prove that the market doesn’t care about tenure, “paying your dues,” or locker room politics. The market cares about impact. And right now, Caitlin Clark is the most impactful woman in sports, leaving the rest of the league—and her rivals—scrambling to catch up to a business empire that is just getting started.