Luka Doncic has taken the NBA by storm, with early MVP buzz building around his remarkable start to the season. His production has even sparked an unusual comparison involving WNBA star Sophie Cunningham. However, the Indiana Fever guard was quick to point out one major difference between them, their paychecks.

The comparison began when her podcast co-host, Drew Hanlen, made a cheeky remark about Doncic’s workload alongside Sophie Cunningham. The premier NBA skills-development coach recounted the Los Angeles Lakers superstar’s stats from his first nine games. The Slovenian had attempted 221 shots and 102 free throws. On the other hand, Sophie Cunningham, in 43 games, attempted 226 shots and just 74 shots from the charity stripe, making 63 of those. The Indiana Fever guard knew it was a humorous setup, so she had a reply of her own.

“And I also think you’re missing a big one,” Cunningham replied on her recent episode of the No Hesitation podcast. “He also makes $50 million a year. I make 700,000 on my WNBA check. You should compare me more to Quentin Grimes. You know, we average around, eight to 10 points. I think that’s it. My three point shooting is actually better than the both of them. And so we’re going to compare, let’s compare.”

Cunningham’s point about the financial disparity also has some context behind it. She agreed to a one-year deal worth $665,000 with Indiana in April, a significant increase from her previous salaries under the prior collective bargaining agreement. The league’s new collective bargaining agreement helped drive that raise. Luka Doncic, meanwhile, secured a three-year, $165 million maximum extension with Los Angeles in August 2025. His salary for the 2026-27 campaign stands at $49.5 million.

Their responsibilities on the floor also differ considerably. As the centerpiece of the Lakers’ offense, Luka Doncic spends much more time handling the ball and directing the team’s attack. He is averaging 35.9 minutes per game this season, compared to the 22.2 minutes Cunningham logged.

She wasn’t a fixture in Indiana’s starting lineup, earning just three starts last season. However, she still made a notable contribution offensively, ending the campaign as the Fever’s fourth-leading scorer. Cunningham’s suggestion of Grimes also comes with an interesting detail.

The Lakers guard has been coming off the bench this season despite earning $13.9 million. He joined Los Angeles on a four-year, $60 million contract signed during the offseason. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic’s start to the campaign has been historic.

He joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to average at least 40 points through their first nine games of a season, putting up 40.1 per contest. He also became the first Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in January 2012 to score 40 or more in four consecutive games. The accolades haven’t stopped there.

Luka Doncic was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for Week 3 after helping Los Angeles extend its winning streak. He recorded nine consecutive games with at least 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists, moving within one game of the longest such streak in NBA history. Most recently, he delivered 32 points, five rebounds, five assists, and five three-pointers to help the Lakers secure their seventh straight victory.

That’s why Cunningham added, “He’s killing it. Like, he has been so much fun to watch.”

Her earlier response brought some humor to the discussion while highlighting the enormous financial gap between the NBA and WNBA.

The post "He Also Makes $50 Million": Sophie Cunningham Speaks Out After Being Compared to Lakers’ Luka Doncic appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.