“The WNBA don’t pay my bills at all.” Angel Reese claimed during an Instagram live stream. Even though she received some backlash for her comments, she spoke a fact and, more importantly, it highlighted the ‘salary pay’ issue in the league. No one forgot that statement. And how could they? Reese’s rookie salary was $73,439 per Spotrac. Her four-year deal totals $324,383, averaging $81,096 annually until 2028. Compare that to her $8,000 monthly rent—$96,000 a year. Do the math: her WNBA salary doesn’t cover her housing. Despite that, she has been showing faith in possible improvement.

It all started last season, the season when the WNBA saw a massive surge in viewership. At the end of the 2024 WNBA season, players opted out of the current CBA. Later on, WNBA Players Union vice president Napheesa Collier made it clear that while no one wants a lockout, the players are ready to do what it takes to reclaim their deserving share of the league they’ve built.

Talking on TV, Colier cleared her views, saying, “We get such a small percentage of revenue share right now that affects our salary…We’re asking for a bigger cut of that, like more equitable to what the men’s revenue share is.” Angel, a member of the union, supported that decision and even brought that view in her podcast. “I got to get in the meetings, because I’m hearing, if y’all don’t give us what we want, we sitting out,” Reese said.

And well, that can surely happen. It isn’t just an empty threat, especially considering that remarkable college players have begun to opt against entering the WNBA draft. Weighing up the possibilities of landing more lucrative deals, they feel it is better to continue their college career. One of the biggest names on that list is Flau’jae Johnson. Angel Reese’s LSU teammate, who won the 2023 NCAA title with her, was a top prospect looking to enter the 2025 WNBA draft.

After the loss against UCLA at the Elite Eight stage, Johnson had 48 hours to decide whether to declare for the draft or not. She chose the second option. While she had a total of three reasons she listed, it is notable that one of them mentioned the CBA. “As far as the draft, I thought about it but I’m like, you know I’m not, first of all, not trying to go out on an L,” she said. “And second of all, you got to think about the CBA and all of that.”

And it makes all the more sense when you realize that Johnson can reportedly make more than Reese and Clark when she eventually joins the league. The same could be the case for Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles and UConn’s tournament hero Azzi Fudd. After all, if the league and the union reach a common point, their salary cap could very well reach more than $87,000, the amount that lottery picks are set to earn this year.

And while Reese will surely be happy, it is bound to sting a bit.

Remember when she said, “but the women coming in, not this year but next year — because the ones coming in this year will still be on the rookie contract — the ones coming in the year after, they’re about to be making more than us”? Yeah, that’s the feeling we are talking about. Also, when you consider her recent comments, it hits more. When the bigger paycheck comes, it won’t reflect her talent and impact, but only the hustle she kept making and the hate she kept receiving for it.

On

Unapologetically Angel, Reese sat down with Chrisean Rock, a fellow Baltimore native, to talk women’s sports. The conversation turned raw when Rock said, “Us getting paid our worth period like cuz you’re doing exactly what LeBron is doing.” Reese leaned in, responding, “We hadn’t got the money worth just yet, but it’s coming. It’s a lot that goes into it, but it’s coming trust me it’s coming.” Then she doubled down: “I speak for a majority because I know my platform… I’m unapologetically me. I’mma speak on what’s for the majority… the best players they deserve the money so I’mma speak for them and that’s what we deserve.”

So, while Reese showed a positive attitude towards the possible deal, her ‘we hadn’t got the money worth just yet’ statement hits hard. Because, in the end, it isn’t just about money, it’s about respect too. When she further told Rock that “I know my voice is heard… people going to hear what I got to say,” we all know it was a sad admission more than a proud one. And we all know why, too.

The mega CBA deal in question

The WNBA has notoriously low salaries, as the league has struggled for years to become profitable. But the 2024 season was a game-changer. Right from the draft. The 2024 WNBA Draft on ESPN averaged 2.4 million viewers. That’s a 328% hike over 2023 viewership and was the most-viewed WNBA Draft ever.

Moreover, most of the games’ attendance reached its peak. The broadcasts and even analysis shows saw an 80 percent rise in 2024. These were all new records for WNBA, and the trajectory is still upwards. Banking on the same, the league signed a new $2.2 billion media rights deal. At an average of $200 million per year, the new deal is already four times the previous contract. Moreover, the new contract also allows the WNBA to add more media partners. This could bring in an additional $60 million annually.

With the league looking to benefit from the popularity, players are also looking for their ‘fair’ share, and it’s not only about the money. “It’s about claiming the rightful share of the business we have built,” Nneka Ogwumike said. “Improving working conditions, and securing a future where the success we create benefits today’s players and the generations to come.”

On January 17, 2020, the WNBA finalized the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This agreement was set to expire in 2027, but players had until November 1, 2024, to opt out of the agreement. They chose to opt out, earlier than expected, accelerating the process for a new deal. With the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league paying an average salary of more than $220,000 (which is close to the maximum base salary in the WNBA), the league might be under pressure to hold on to its players.

Things that worked well for the new league will certainly be discussed at the CBA bargaining table. It’s unclear whether the WNBPA will ask the league to back-pay players still locked into multi-year rookie deals when the new CBA starts. This includes superstars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese – catalysts of the WNBA’s recent popularity surge. Will that be a ‘deal breaker’ or a wise decision? The new terms of the contract will reveal the answers.