“It Would Be Nice to Make Even Half of What NBA Players Make”: Brittney Griner, Who Has a $1 Million Nike Contract, Once Broke Down Over WNBA Salaries

The WNBA players have long opposed the pay inequality between them and their male counterparts. While NBA players continue to bag huge salaries, many WNBA players fly overseas in the offseason to maximize their earnings. One of those players is Brittney Griner.

Griner, who is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence in Russia, plays for UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA’s offseason. Her WNBA pay pales in comparison to what she earns in Russia. Every season, UMMC Ekaterinburg pays her more than $1 million. The Phoenix Mercury, on the other hand, gave her a three-year contract extension worth $664,544 in 2020.

This speaks volumes about the pay inequality that WNBA players have been dealing with for years. For the 2022 WNBA season, the maximum base salary is $228,094, while the minimum is $60,471. One can clearly see how paltry those numbers appear in relation to what NBA players are making. Even the NBA bench warmers and role players earn significantly more than that.

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For years, WNBA players have advocated for increased pay. Even Brittney Griner once let her voice be heard when she questioned the WNBA salaries, in contrast to NBA salaries.

Brittney Griner let her views be known on the WNBA salaries

Brittney Griner is one of the WNBA’s biggest stars and highest-paid players. She is also signed by Nike on a $1 million contract. The former WNBA champion is an eight-time all-star and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

It’s been a long struggle for WNBA players to tackle wage disparities, and Brittney Griner once expressed her forthright opinions on the subject. She stated unequivocally that she believes they are woefully underpaid in comparison to NBA players.

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Griner expressed her displeasure in an Instagram post in 2018, writing, “It would be nice to make even half of what they (NBA players) make…I just know we (WNBA players) don’t make sh*t.”

Griner’s comments highlighted the difficulties that WNBA players endure. To maximize their income, these players must play both throughout the season and during the offseason, which means they get little to no rest. Furthermore, if players do not complete their international seasons before the WNBA training camps or the commencement of the new season, they may be fined up to 20% of their pay.

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There were concerns on whether Griner, who is still in Russian detention, would be paid her WNBA paycheck. Phoenix Mercury, however, announced that the WNBA star will continue to be paid. Furthermore, the WNBA granted the franchise a salary cap relief.

Several people in the United States continue to wait for the day Brittney Griner finally returns home.