Angel Reese may be one of the biggest faces in the WNBA, but as she’s admitted herself, her paycheck from the league barely makes a dent in her bills. And she’s not shy about letting people know. The Chicago Sky rookie has been vocal about WNBA salaries, but this time, she’s taking things up a notch—throwing out a bold warning that’s got fans talking.

But before we get to that, let us tell you that right now, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) are deep in negotiations over the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). We know that the players have not been happy with the salary structure- they have long been fighting for bigger paychecks and a whole list of other demands.

The current agreement lasts through Oct. 31, 2025, giving the league and the union a year to negotiate the next agreement. And as the new season is about to begin, the talks are getting louder. Recently, on Reese’s podcast “Unapologetically Angel,” the Chicago Sky player sat down with DiJonai Carrington.

The pair didn’t just discuss the upcoming CBA negotiations—they put the league and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on notice. 

The 22-year-old straight up said, “We deserve more. Everybody. But we gotta face the consequences.” She pointed out that the rookies coming in next year could see a serious pay bump if the league restructures salaries, and it “hurts” the Chi-Town Barbie. As a rookie, Reese made $73,439 and is now set to earn $74,909 in her sophomore year in Chicago as a part of her four-year, $324,383 contract.

But she expects the CBA to bring better pay and incentives. And if that doesn’t happen? “If y’all don’t give us what we want, we sitting out,” the Sky rookie declared. And the fans were not just having it. However, this isn’t the first time she has faced backlash for her ‘salary comments.’ Remember, back in October, she went viral for breaking down how her $73,439 WNBA paycheck barely covers anything. “I just hope you know the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all,” she admitted on Instagram. “Yo, I’m living beyond my means!”

Then, very recently, social media lit up with claims that Angel Reese had something bold to say about WNBA salaries. One of the biggest posts came from “NBA Central” on March 6, when the X account dropped this eye-catching tweet: “Angel Reese believes WNBA players should be getting paid like NBA players.”

According to the post, Reese allegedly said, “If you think about it, our shorter season makes our games more valuable, and some of us play at a higher level than some NBA players. It’s simple math.” However, no solid evidence was found to back up that claim, and it was ultimately proven to be mostly fake. But by then, the fact that Reese makes over-the-top demands had already taken hold. Instead of rallying behind the baller, this time too, many just took the opportunity to press that mindset even further.

This time, Reese’s take is absolutely true, but the rest of the story remains the same. The social media took shots—some harsher than others.

Angel Reese faces mockery over WNBA pay stance

“I’m telling you right now we don’t care,” one fan bluntly put it. Well, we know basketball fans appreciate solid shooting, and that hasn’t exactly been her forte. With a 39.1% field goal percentage and a rough 18.8% from beyond the arc—one of the worst in the league—it’s no surprise that her style of play hasn’t won many fans over. But it’s worth noting that lately, she’s been showing some promise in Unrivaled. If she carries that into the WNBA, maybe, just maybe, she can make the doubters quiet down.  

Another added, “See, I was starting to support, then they act like this 🤣.” See, the WNBA is still growing, and honestly, it’s not even close to the NBA in terms of demand and supply. Fans want the best for players, but they also push the idea that the league and its athletes need to work together. So, while confidence is great, some fans see it as a bit childish—almost like calling out the league instead of growing with it.

Then there were the straight-up jokes. “The 7 people that watch will be devastated,” and “All 39 fans across the country are gonna be crushed.”  It’s the classic attempt to paint Reese as someone with barely any support. But with 4.7 million followers on Instagram alone, the idea that she only has a handful of fans? Yeah, that’s a stretch. Sure, the number of people watching her games might not be sky-high, but it’s a bit extreme to say that she doesn’t have an audience.

Even the record-setting 1.2 million viewers’ game had Reese’s Chicago. Yes, many of you might say that it was all because it was Indiana Fever vs Sky. But come on, we have to admit that this Reese- Caitlin Clark rivalry keeps everyone entertained. So speaking of her rival, one fan chimed in, saying, “Sad to say, but 80 percent of the new fans are watching for Clark, and that’s it. So as long as CC isn’t sitting out, we good.” 

It’s no secret—Clark is the needle mover right now. She broke records, packed arenas, and, for a lot of casual viewers, she IS the WNBA at the moment. Sure, CC grabs the most attention, but it takes more than just one hooper to make the WNBA successful. And even Clark’s agent believes the Fever star is “part of a larger player body” that needs to be “paid more” by the WNBA.

Then there was this: “Most delusional player in the WNBA.” A straight-up callout, basically saying Reese has zero self-awareness. You can see how much people believe she’ll say anything and everything—to the point where they were convinced she actually made that NBA comparison. But despite all the hate, it doesn’t look like she’s going to hold back anytime soon.

We’ve seen plenty of W players speak up about the pay disparity and get support. So, standing up for better pay is one thing, but for some fans, it’s Angel Reese’s approach that’s making them tune out.