education insights | January 17, 2026

How Much Do Laker Girls Make? – Celebrity

LA Lakers Cheerleaders ($30,000 per annum) The ever-famous LA Laker cheerleading squad makes an annual earning of about $30,000. This team of female dancers was started in 1979 by Jerry Buss after purchasing the Lakers. Currently, there are about nineteen female dancers in the squad earning $600 per game – potential $1,500 bonuses.

The Laker Girls are an all-female National Basketball Association Cheerleading squad that supports the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team in home matches. They also perform at many other events and venues.

2020-21 Los Angeles Lakers Salary Cap Totals. This team is currently “hard-capped”, which means their Total Taxable Salaries may not exceed $138,928,000 at any point during the season.

Denotes the Lakers current standing in terms of the luxury tax threshold. Teams that spend over the threshold pay fines (estimated below). The Lakers are currently over the league salary cap. This means Cap Holds & Exceptions are NOT included in their Total Cap Allocations, and renouncing these figures will not afford them any cap space.

What is the Laker Girls?

The Laker Girls performing during a time out. The Laker Girls are an all-female National Basketball Association Cheerleading squad that supports the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team in home matches. They also perform at many other events and venues.

They also perform at many other events and venues. Jerry Buss commissioned the Laker Girls in 1979 after he had purchased the Lakers. He believed a basketball game should be entertaining, and he was a big fan of college basketball. Cheerleaders were not common in the NBA at the time, but Buss ordered the formation of the squad—a team …

Each woman auditioning must come with a resume of their previous jobs. It is required that each prospective candidate comes prepared with her own routine and is taught two routines to perform for the current Laker Girls as well as some judges.

How much does a basketball dancer make?

Thankfully, these rates have significantly increased over the past few years. Today, a professional basketball dancer’s salary is between $400 and $650. In addition, the cheerleaders enjoy other benefits like:

However, during the second world war, women took up the role because the men were out fighting. They introduced diverse activities, including acrobatics and gymnastics, and the profession has evolved into its current state. So, what are the NBA cheerleaders salary rates?

Most young women dream of being part of a cheering squad and earn a living from it. But, for most of them, it is an opportunity to be part of a social circle and interact with professional basketball players.

However, while no school teaches cheerleading, it is a prerequisite that potential cheerleaders go through dancing school. More specifically, these women should familiarize themselves with contemporary hip hop, Zumba, and belly dancing. They should also be physically fit to ensure they build the endurance and strength required.

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So, do NBA cheerleaders travel with the team? Yes, they do. However, all their travel expenses are taken care of, which is an added benefit. The dancers also earn an extra fee for practice sessions.

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