Forced to Play Overseas for Money, Lynx vs Liberty Eases Chris Mullin’s Worries About WNBA Stars

The surge in WNBA’s popularity this season brought some negative attention and is yet to make the NBA’s sister league profitable. But there’s one upside. The ladies don’t feel the need to take their talents across borders. Unlike in the past, several WNBA pros have opted to not play in overseas leagues. While the salaries aren’t what fans wished for them, the growth is promising. An NBA star and diehard New York sports fan, Chris Mullin is one of the many happy that women’s basketball is finally getting its due.

Considering Mullin is a big fan of New York sports teams, Mark Jackson asked him right away on Come and Talk 2 Me about how it felt to see New York Liberty win its first championship. The Dream Team legend was happy for Sabrina Ionescu’s squad but in general, he was happy with how the 2024 WNBA season went.

“The women’s game has really flourished,” Mullin told his former rival. “I think they’re getting their just due now with the publicity and getting more TV coverage and media coverage.” 

New York Liberty beat the Minnesota Lynx 3-2 in a best-of-five series. Overall fans and NBA pros alike found it more exciting than how the NBA finals went down this past summer. 2.2 million viewership, peaking at 3.3 million for Game 5, the highest for a finals game in 25 years, spoke of that and Mullin is impressed.

“These ladies have really dedicated themselves and I think they’re getting their just due, as I said, because they put as much time into this as the men.”

The most positive sign Mullin noticed about the growth in the NBA’s sister league is, “For a lot of years they’ve got to go overseas to make you know make ends meet.” Though Angel Reese, whose rookie scale salary is an estimated $73,000, recently said that her WNBA income doesn’t cover her living expenses, many stars have opted not to play overseas.

That would be courtesy of Unrivalled, WNBA finals opponents-turned-collaborators, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier’s new 3vs3 league that is expected to offer a six-figure salary. Angel explained that most WNBA players don’t want to play overseas if they had the choice and Unrivalled gives them that option.

Chris Mullin is WNBA’s biggest fan

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and the 2024 draft class brought unprecedented popularity from the NCAA to the WNBA. Since the arrival of the biggest rivalry in the league’s history, viewership, ticket, and merch sales have increased by triple-digit percentages from last year. Although it’s not profitable yet, the WNBA growth is a good sign for the ladies.

Mullin, who had a stint in Indiana between two celebrated tenures with the Golden State Warriors, recently hailed Clark’s talent. He compared her to Steph Curry and even said that between himself, Mark Jackson, and Caitlin Clark, fans will recognize CC easily.

He also hyped veterans like Sabrina Ionescu, who is one of the highest paid players in the WNBA but nowhere close to her NBA counterparts. Usually, there would be an exodus of WNBA players to supplement their low salaries. While some did opt to head overseas, the appeal is lost to major stars like Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and the rookies.

Mullins highlights the visibility that these rookies and veterans have brought to the WNBA and he’s watching it only go further.