Angel Reese Takes a Stand: WNBA Star Sparks Debate on Player Salaries
Sarah Johnson
March 9, 2025
Brief
WNBA star Angel Reese discusses low player salaries, hints at possible strike during collective bargaining talks, and reignites debate about fair pay and financial struggles in women's basketball.
WNBA player Angel Reese has sparked a heated conversation on social media after suggesting that players might consider sitting out games in their push for higher salaries. The comments came during her podcast on Friday, where she discussed the upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations alongside fellow player DiJonai Carrington.
"I've got to get in the meetings because I'm hearing like, 'If y'all don't give us what we want, we sitting out,'" Reese said. Carrington backed up the sentiment, calling it "a possibility" for players to strike if demands aren't met.
Reese, known for her candid takes, has been vocal about the financial struggles faced by WNBA players. "The WNBA don't pay my bills at all. I don't even think it pays one of my bills. Literally," she stated previously, driving home the point that the league’s salaries are far from sufficient for basic living expenses.
Her remarks reignited debates online about the viability of a strike and whether it could lead to better pay. The WNBA, which has never turned a profit in its history and relies on subsidies from the NBA, is at the center of these discussions. Reese herself joined the fray on social media, taking aim at a conservative influencer, AKA, who falsely claimed that she demanded NBA-level salaries. "I never said anything about the NBA. We are prepared to stay at the negotiating table for as long as it takes," Reese clarified.
As for Reese’s current financial reality, she signed a four-year rookie contract worth $324,383 ahead of her 2024 season. Nonetheless, she earned less than $75,000 in her first year and will continue to make under that figure in 2025. In a candid Instagram live session last October, Reese admitted the struggle of making ends meet. "I’m living beyond my means. Hating pays them bills, baby. I just hope you know the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all," she said, breaking down her $8,000 monthly rent and wondering aloud whether her league salary could even cover a sandwich.
The WNBA players union opted out of its current collective bargaining agreement last October, two years ahead of its expiration. While the existing agreement covers the 2025 season, players and the league now have a year to hash out a new deal. Whether Reese’s comments, or the possibility of a strike, will influence those talks remains to be seen.
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Editor's Comments
Angel Reese’s unapologetic honesty about the WNBA’s pay scale is both refreshing and a bit heartbreaking. It’s wild that professional athletes, who dedicate their lives to their sport, still struggle with basic living expenses. And let’s talk about the $8,000 rent—how is that even sustainable on a $74K salary? Maybe this is the wake-up call the league needs to rethink its financial strategies. Also, props to Reese for shutting down fake narratives on social media like a total pro.
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