Gender Differences in Pay and Performance (Under Pressure) in Professional Basketball

This study examined gender differences in the link between pay and performance in professional basketball. Using National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) data from the five most recent seasons, we assessed general performance and performance under pressure in clutch time as potential predictors of player salary. Using pooled ordinary least squares regressions, we found substantial gender-specific differences in the translation of on-court productivity into player compensation: NBA salaries responded to a broader set of performance indicators and exhibited stronger effect sizes than salaries in the WNBA. In contrast, the evidence for salary effects of performance under pressure was scarce, with no substantial differences between the NBA and WNBA. The findings provide an updated perspective on the salary-performance relationship in professional basketball. They offer the first detailed insights into payment determinants in the WNBA and deepen our understanding of gender differences in wages and performance under pressure.