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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

“Her ability to get to her spots, I think is uncanny. I watched it in college and thought, ‘Well, is she going to be able to do that in our league?’ The answer is yes… She’s actually expanded her game as well… Expanding your game to the 3 and adding more value in that space, she’s also expanded that value by playing more than one position.” Those were the words of Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve on May 3, praising Grace Berger’s growth. Fast forward to May 12, and the same player has been waived from the team. Just like that. That’s the W. It’s ruthless. One week you’re praised for your versatility, the next, you’re packing your bags.

The Indiana University to Indiana Fever pipeline felt like destiny. For Hoosiers fans, Grace Berger staying home was the perfect story. But that story came to an unexpected end. After five years at IU, Berger was drafted 7th overall by the Fever in 2023 and spent two seasons with them. Then came a fresh start–Minnesota Lynx picked her up in February 2025. Hopes were high. Many believed she could be a key piece for last season’s runners-up. But that’s not how it played out. She’s officially been waived.

Grace Berger now becomes the second Indiana University legend to be waived in 2025, following Mackenzie Holmes. It’s a tough blow for IU fans who were hoping to see their favorites shine in the pros. But it also gives us a chance to dive a little deeper. Specifically–what kind of salary was Berger set to earn with the Minnesota Lynx? Let’s break it down.

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What is Grace Berger’s net worth?

Grace Berger left a mark at Indiana like few others. She played in 148 career games, starting in 118 of them, and holds the title of the winningest player in school history with 118 career victories. A true Hoosier legend. As for her net worth? That remains a bit of a mystery. There’s no official public information available right now about her personal finances. But if anything does come up, you can bet we’ll keep you in the loop!

Grace Berger’s Contract Breakdown

In her final season at Indiana, Grace Berger was as solid as ever. She played and started in 24 games, averaging 12.9 points, 5.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game. She held a +2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio and logged nearly 32 minutes a night. She hit double digits in 18 games, with her best outing being a 26-point performance against number 6 Iowa. Big moments? She had plenty.

So yeah–expectations were sky-high. Berger signed a 3-year, $224,026 contract with the Indiana Fever. That came with an average annual salary of $74,675 and even had a fourth-year option baked in. Want the full breakdown? Scroll down, we’ve got you covered.

YearCap Hit
Annual
2023$71,300
2024$72,727
2025$79,999
2026$90,908

What’s your perspective on:

Does the WNBA's limited roster spots stifle the growth of promising players like Grace Berger?

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What is Grace Berger’s salary?

For those new to how waivers work, here’s the quick breakdown. When a player is waived, they enter a 48-hour waiver window. That means any team in the league can swoop in and claim them. But here’s the twist–if they do, they also inherit the player’s full contract. No tweaks. No pay cuts. No back-and-forth. That’s why a lot of waived players end up clearing waivers without getting picked up.Once that 48-hour window shuts and no one bites, the player becomes a free agent. That’s when the real possibilities open up—they can now sign with any team, on completely new terms.

Grace Berger was set to earn $79,999 with the Lynx this season. But as reported by Spotrac, that deal is now void. Still, not all hope is lost. There’s real belief among fans and insiders that Berger isn’t done yet. A new opportunity might be just around the corner. Where she’ll land? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Why was Grace Berger’s contract waived?

There are only 156 roster spots across the entire WNBA. That’s it. Just 13 teams in the league. Each team can carry a minimum of 11 and a maximum of 12 players. So yeah—spots are ridiculously limited. And to make it worse– unlike the NBA, the W doesn’t have a G League. There’s no developmental pipeline to grind your way back in. No second-tier safety net. That reality made it even harder for Grace Berger to hold on to a spot–first with the Fever, and now with the Lynx.

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A look at Grace Berger’s College and Professional Career

Grace Berger wrapped up her legendary five-year career at Indiana with a stat sheet that speaks for itself. She scored 1,841 points, dished out 573 assists, and pulled down 752 rebounds. That puts her seventh all-time in scoring and second in assists for the Hoosiers. She averaged 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game—all while shooting a solid 45.2% from the field.

Berger suited up in 148 games, starting 118 of them, and became the winningest player in Indiana women’s basketball history with 118 career victories. Her teams won 74.6% of their games, and when playing at home inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall? That number jumped to an incredible 83.1%. A true Hoosier legend.

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But her professional career? It never really took off! She played in 47 total games for the Indianapolis-based franchise but never once cracked the starting lineup. In her rookie season, she appeared in 36 games, averaging 4.2 points and 1.9 assists in 14.6 minutes per outing. She managed to score in double figures five times, including a career-high 15-point performance on July 12, 2023, against the New York Liberty.

Despite the limited minutes, Berger still made an impact off the court. Her debut brought in a strong crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, showing just how much Hoosier fans supported her. Ironically, she didn’t play a single minute in that first game–leaving many IU faithful disappointed. The Fever themselves were going through a tough stretch, finishing 13-27 in 2023. That poor record landed them the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. And from there? Well, we all know what happened next.

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Does the WNBA's limited roster spots stifle the growth of promising players like Grace Berger?

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