The equitable pay debate is an evergreen subject ever since the inception of the WNBA. But the situation of their present financial strength is making the debate an even more fiery subject than it was before.
For several years now, female players have had to go overseas to earn a decent living during the WNBA offseason. Diana Taurasi, in a documentary on her life with Amazon Prime, opened up on being forced to go to Russia and play despite being the best in the world in her prime.
“I’m the best player in the world, and I have to go to a communist country to get paid like a capitalist.”
“One time I came back and I was like, man, my parents have just gotten older and I’ve missed a big part of it.”
“We weren’t making that much money. So, generational wealth was coming from going to Russia every year. Now we have to come back home to get paid nothing? To play in a harder league, in worse conditions, against the best competition in the world? The f**king janitor at the arena made more than me.”
Diana Taurasi earned a little over $1.3 million in career earnings after playing 20 seasons in the NBA. On average, that is a $65,000 annual salary over 20 years in the league, which is negligible money in today’s age.
Meanwhile, she earned over $1 million in single seasons playing in Russia. Thus, getting enough money to build generational wealth eventually, as her net worth is now $3.5 million.
What Taurasi highlighted as an issue in her time is prevalent even today. Most players are forced to leave the country and play internationally to earn the money they need for a decent livelihood and to pay the bills.
Considering that a usual WNBA season lasts for only five months in the year, the players have seven months of the year in which they are on their own to earn a living. Moreover, player salaries have barely touched six figures, let alone reach the eight or nine-figure mark that the men get.
Even Caitlin Clark, who is currently earning millions in revenue for the league with each appearance, is only earning $78,066 for the entire 2025 season. And the largest annual contract value that has been handed out in all time till date has been to Jackie Young with the average annual salary value of $252,450.
I understand that the WNBA has been reporting fiscal losses only and has never made a profit since its inception in 1997. Players protested silently for their demands as all players showed up for the All-Star Game warm-ups wearing a T-shirt that said ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us.’
But now, the players have opted out of the CBA extension, which is due by October 31st of this year. Therefore, they will have to come up with a new agreement with the league for things like salary and revenue sharing, or they are at risk of total work stoppage.
