Raven Johnson was all smiles, addressing the media after she was selected as the 10th overall draft pick to the Indiana Fever, but when asked which player she looked forward to playing with, her answer startled everyone: Caitlin Clark.

Speaking to a media reporter, she openly stated how she is elated about the opportunity to combine on the court with Caitlin Clark.

Now this shouldn’t come as a surprise at all because who wouldn’t want to play with the best on their team, but it was their history that made things dicey. It took everyone back to the infamous Clark wave-off moment during the 2023 NCAA women’s tournament game between South Carolina and Iowa.

It was that day when Clark made one of her biggest viral moments on court when Clark chose to wave off the freshman’s advances towards their basket by nonchalantly looking the other way as if she was not even bothered. That created quite a chain of events for both players as Johnson got her revenge the following year by neutralizing Caitlin Clark’s flow.

Staley put Raven Johnson to babysit Clark, and she didn’t allow Caitlin to settle down even for a bit. As a hawk affixed to a target, she tailed Caitlin, forcing her to make 5-of-20 shots and score just 12 points. With Johnson on her, Clark also committed four turnovers as Iowa sealed the championship victory 87-75.

Raven was so elated after getting even with her rival that she even took the mic and addressed the deafening crowd with her winning words.

“All I have to say is the revenge tour is over,” said Raven as the raucous audience erupted.

But now these two former rivals will be on the same team, looking out for each other, which totally shifts the dynamic. Joining Indiana will also mean that now her salary won’t be limited to NIL deals but rather actual salary, and that will be a huge upgrade over Raven’s already stacked earnings.

How Much Will Raven Johnson Earn in 2026?

With bigger stakes come an even bigger pay, and Raven Johnson, too, will earn a great amount courtesy of her first-round pick. The No. 10 draft pick has signed a four-year deal with Indiana, according to Sportrac.

Her four-year rookie deal, valued at nearly $1.3 million, is structured to increase annually, starting at $289,133 and rising to a potential $373,768 in her fourth season, reflecting the league’s growing investment in its top prospects.

ESPN had reported back in March that draft picks will not be denied their rightful earnings and will be eligible to receive full salary protection during their rookie seasons, with additional salary protection options available for other picks.

This is a huge transition from earlier versions, as back then, in accordance with the norms of WNBA CBAs, draft picks only earned these protections if teams exercised their fourth-year option. Moreover, Johnson’s salary does not include other forms of income, including endorsement deals and sponsorships, which are sure to come her way in the league.

But money does seem like a secondary option for Raven as Johnson’s main focus still remains on the championship. Something that is used to winning at South Carolina, and that’s one habit she doesn’t want to change at her new home, either.

“You’re talking about a team that could win the championship. I think it’s crazy. They have a lot of vets I could learn from, and they’re winners. Everybody on that team likes to win. I think that’s what makes that team special. So to go to a program like that, that has the same mentality as me of winning, is phenomenal,” she concludes

Fever has a packed roster and players who come in with a will to win. Other than Caitlin Clark, who is fairly a newcomer herself on the WNBA circuit, we also have expert operators like Kelsey Mitchell, Monique Billings, and Myisha Hines-Allen, who all have more than 7+ years of experience, and that is no less a championship-ready team, and Raven knows this.