Audi Crooks’ reported payday has quickly turned into one of the most talked-about figures in women’s basketball.
The Iowa State transfer is already a rising star on the court, but this latest development has shifted attention toward her earning power off it.
And if the numbers being circulated are accurate, they would place her in rare company globally.
According to NCAABuzzerBeaters, Crooks could be among the highest-paid players in the sport.
“Reports say Iowa State transfer Audi Crooks is in for a $1.4 million payday at Oklahoma State. That would make Crooks the third-highest-paid women’s basketball player in the world this year (behind A’ja Wilson & Aliyah Boston),” the X account claimed.
The figure immediately raised eyebrows, especially given the gap that has historically existed between WNBA salaries and NIL-driven earnings at the college level.
It also reflects how rapidly the financial landscape in women’s basketball is evolving.
While the number has gained traction online, there is currently no official confirmation from Oklahoma State, Crooks herself, or verified NIL databases to support the exact $1.4 million figure.
That makes the report difficult to fully validate, particularly when compared to publicly known WNBA contracts, where even top-tier salaries typically fall below that mark annually.
What is credible, however, is the broader trend. Elite college players are increasingly leveraging NIL opportunities that can rival or even exceed professional earnings in certain cases.
Crooks, given her profile, production, and visibility, would naturally fall into that category, making a high-value deal plausible even if the exact number remains unverified.
Until concrete details emerge, the figure should be viewed as a strong possibility rather than a confirmed benchmark.
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