Growing up, Rachel Banham didn’t really come from a flashy or extravagant background. She was raised by two lifelong members of the Minneapolis Police Department. They were her parents, Donald “Don” Banham Jr. and Melissa “Mel” Banham. Rachel’s path, though, veered in a completely different direction. Instead of a badge, she picked up a basketball and carved out a legacy all her own (monetary and otherwise).
The world first really took notice on February 7, 2016, when she dropped an NCAA single-game record 60 points in a double-overtime thriller against Northwestern. The performance drew praise from late Kobe Bryant himself. He dubbed her the “Maroon Mamba,” even posting, “Clutch @rachelbanham15 not many players can side fade… #mambablood.” That nickname stuck, and the moment came full circle when Rachel met Kobe in person at WNBA Draft Orientation. He immediately recognized her and told her he wanted her on his team. For her, that memory was priceless.
Since then, Banham has become known as one of the league’s premier three-point shooters. Before rejoining the Connecticut Sun in 2024, she had already ranked 16th all-time in franchise history for made threes. But consistency on the hardwood has also meant consistency in the bank account. So the question is: how much has Rachel Banham’s hustle, grind, and “Maroon Mamba” mentality translated into dollars? Let’s take a look.
What is Rachel Banham’s Net Worth in 2025?
According to multiple reports, Rachel Banham’s net worth is estimated at around $2.5 million. This wealth is the product of several steady income streams. It comes most notably from her WNBA contracts, endorsement partnerships with brands like Nike and BiPro USA, as well as her growing presence on social media. Banham has also used her platforms to expand her personal brand. On Instagram alone, she has a following of over 33,000 fans, and that number is increasing each day. This just further boosts her marketability and long-term earning potential.
Rachel Banham’s Contract and Salary Breakdown
In 2024, Rachel Banham signed a 2-year, $190,000 contract with the Connecticut Sun. This included $190,000 guaranteed and an average annual salary of $95,000. However, on July 17, 2024, the Sun traded her to the Chicago Sky in a multi-player, multi-pick deal. In exchange for Banham, the Sun acquired Marina Mabrey from the Sky along with a 2025 second-round pick. To complete the trade, the Sun also sent Moriah Jefferson, a 2025 first-round pick, and the rights to swap 2026 first-round picks to Chicago.
Even though Banham changed teams, the original contract terms still stand under her new deal with the Sky. And here’s the year-by-year breakdown-
Year
Age
Status
Cap Hit (Annual)
Cash (Annual)
Cash (Cumulative)
2024
31
Active
$95,000
$60,224
$60,224
2025
32
Protected
$95,000
$95,000
$155,224
2026
33
UFA
—
—
—
Rachel Banham’s Career Earnings
Rachel Banham’s earnings from the WNBA are expected to be a total of $641,521 by the 2025 season’s end. Here’s a breakdown-
Year
Team(s)
Age
Base Salary
Cash Total
Cash Cumulative
2018
Connecticut Sun
25
$56,793
$56,793
$56,793
2019
Connecticut Sun
26
$64,538
$64,538
$121,331
2020
Minnesota Lynx
27
$100,000
$100,000
$221,331
2021
Minnesota Lynx
28
$52,042 / $31,702
$52,042 / $31,702
$273,373 / $305,075
2022
Minnesota Lynx
29
$72,141
$72,141
$377,216
2023
Minnesota Lynx
30
$74,305
$74,305
$451,521
2024
Connecticut Sun / Chicago Sky
31
$34,776 / $60,224
$34,776 / $60,224
$486,297 / $546,521
Total (2018–2024)
—
—
$546,521
$546,521
$546,521
2025
Chicago Sky
32
$95,000
$95,000
$641,521
To sum it up simply, here are her earnings per team till now-
Years
Team
Base Salary
Cash Cumulative
3
Connecticut Sun
$156,107
$156,107
4
Minnesota Lynx
$330,190
$330,190
1
Chicago Sky
$60,224
$60,224
All of the information provided above is from Spotrac.
Endorsements & Brand Deals
Outside of WNBA paychecks, Rachel Banham has cashed in on the endorsement game, too. One of her earliest big breaks came with BiPro USA. It was the sports nutrition brand that she leaned on during her injury comeback. She liked the brand so much so that she even starred in their commercials, pushing protein as hard as she pushed threes. Then came a career milestone in 2016. It was a deal with Nike, the kind of partnership every hooper dreams about.
Those sponsorships successfully put her on the map as a marketable face of the game. But here’s the catch: it’s been nine years since her last major deal, and now in 2025, her net worth is less about new contracts rolling in and more about the foundation she built through her grind on the court.
Rachel Banham’s College and Professional Career
Rachel Banham grew up in Minnesota and went on to become a hometown legend at the University of Minnesota.
Over there, she scored 3,093 career points and finished as the No. 1 scorer in Big Ten history and sixth all-time in NCAA history.
Rachel Banham even knocked down 354 career threes, setting a program record, and built her rep as a lethal shooter.
The biggest event came when she made national headlines in 2016 with a then-NCAA record 60-point performance against Northwestern, a moment that earned praise from Kobe Bryant.
That same year, she was named Big Ten Player of the Year and earned First Team All-American honors
This outstanding performance led her to be drafted 4th overall by the Connecticut Sun in 2016.
She was then traded to the Minnesota Lynx in 2020.
Later, Rachel returned to the Sun in 2024.
However, the Sun again traded her mid-season to the Chicago Sky. Now there, she continues to bring her veteran leadership and shooting touch.
Now that’s what you call a journey. It is one incredible ride for Rachel Banham, and honestly, for anyone following along, too. If you enjoyed diving into her story even half as much as we enjoyed putting it together, then we’d say mission accomplished!
The post What is Rachel Banham’s Net worth and Salary in 2025? appeared first on EssentiallySports.