Kalani Brown is actively considering a transition from the WNBA to the WWE. Her decision comes right in the middle of a frustrating point of her professional basketball career.
However, she is not so sure that she has what it takes.
The 28-year-old received an open invitation to tryout for WWE after season’s end if she chooses to do so. A career change could increase her annual salary by at least 15%!
Who is Kalani Brown?
Brown was considered a five-star prospect in the college basketball recruiting Class of 2015. The Louisiana-native ranked as the No. 2 player at her position and a top-10 player overall.
She ultimately committed to Baylor.
Not only did Brown win a national championship with the Bears, the 6-foot-7, 245-pound center was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team in three of four seasons and as the Big 12 Player of the Year in 2018. It was one of the best college careers of the late 2010s.
The Los Angeles Sparks selected Brown with the No. 7 overall pick in 2019 as a result of her impressive four years in Waco but it has been a struggle ever since.
Kalani Brown has not averaged more than 16 minutes per game in any of the last seven years. She has scored less than six points per game in 128 career WNBA games with just seven total starts.
- 2019 — 28 games with the Los Angeles Sparks — 5.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 13.5 minutes
- 2020 — 10 games with the Atlanta Dream — 3.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, 6.1 minutes
- 2021 — one game with the Atlanta Dream — 2.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, 5.0 minutes
- 2022 — DID NOT PLAY
- 2023 — 32 games with the Dallas Wings — 7.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 16.4 minutes (all career highs)
- 2024 — 38 games with the Dallas Wings — 5.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 13.5 minutes
- 2025 —
Brown currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury, averaging 13.8 minutes per game in 18 games.
From WNBA to WWE…
The Mercury barely escaped defeat during a comeback win over the Valkyries earlier this week. Brown did not see the court in any capacity. Not even off of the bench. Nothing.
She got exactly zero minutes and posted the following image on social media after the game:
Interestingly enough, Brown received an invitation to leave basketball all together just a few hours prior to the game in which she did not play. The WWE reached out via DM to see if she would consider a future in wrestling.
“This is Macy Zaban from the Talent ID and Recruitment Division here at the WWE,” reads the message. “We have identified you as a potential great fit for the brand. I am reaching out to see if you might be interested in an opportunity to tryout for the WWE?”
WWE brings a select group of athletes from all across the world to its tryouts. All of the travel, flights and hotels are covered.
Brown’s next step would be to set up a call to further discuss this opportunity. Her initial reaction to the invitation mirrors the viral meme that came from this video:
No. Well… Maybe… No. Well…
Her salary would increase!
Kalani Brown will get paid $128,750 by the Phoenix Mercury in 2025 as part of a full-guaranteed three-year, $386,250 contract. She is actually making more money than a lot of other players in the league.
Meanwhile, main roster wrestlers like Cody Rhoades, Seth Rollins, Tiffany Stratton and Alexa Bliss are paid at least $350,000 as a starting base salary with the WWE. Many (if not most) of them are paid north of $1,000,000 and those numbers do not include the earning potential from things like merchandise, pay-per-view appearances, etc.
Brown would not be a main roster wrestler upon arrival to the WWE but she would be in line for a pay bump! Starting salaries for developmental wrestlers hover around $150,000, up ~15% from what she is currently being paid in the WNBA.
As of right now, it is not a no.
Kalani Brown has not ruled out a future with the WWE. Her decision has yet to be made.
Former Seattle Storm point guard Anriel Howard currently performs on the NXT brand under the ring name ‘Lash Legend.’ As far as I know, Brown would be the second athlete to switch from women’s hoops to wrestling— if she has what it takes!