The off-season seemed to have brought an opportunity for redemption to Nika Mühl and Gabby Williams after a challenging season in the WNBA. The Seattle Storm duo, signed with Beşiktaş JK for the 2024-2025 season. With the Turkish league growing, they aim to gain more playing time after limited minutes this campaign. But little did they know what was coming their way in the first game itself!

Just two minutes into the game in Istanbul, a firecracker was thrown onto the court. The officials and players were immediately sent back to the locker rooms until the situation was brought under control. According to the commentators, the safety of the players and officials was the number one concern. They called the incident “unnecessary” and “silliness,” pointing out how a small number of fans can have such a huge impact on what could have been a wonderful occasion.

Further, Hooligans.cz official wrote on X, “Besiktas women’s basketball match played in Istanbul was stopped due to items thrown on the field, the police intervened with the Fenerbahce fans and the atmosphere became tense, the hall was evacuated and the match was postponed, it will be played without spectators.”

Well, this comes after Williams’ exit press conference, where she got too real about the WNBA’s salaries- or lack thereof. “If you want us to be here, you have to pay us more,” she said. Undoubtedly, she was aiming the words at WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who had claimed that top players could make up to $700,000 a year. 

However, this didn’t sit well with fans, who demanded she leave if she was that unhappy. They even went as far as to compare her to Caitlin Clark, saying Clark makes the kind of money. But later, the 2021 Hungarian champion clarified her point, and she didn’t hold back when responding to her critics. Still, it looks like fans are unsatisfied. 

What was the whole controversy about?

The 28-year-old went live on TikTok to set the record straight. She clarified that the $700,000 figure isn’t something any player in the W actually makes purely from their league salary. “Clark makes $70,000 in the WNBA,” she asserted, stressing that the endorsements that boost players’ incomes aren’t what she was referring to. She emphasized that no one in the entire league makes that kind of money directly from the WNBA—it’s all about the contracts and collective bargaining agreements.

But the power forward didn’t just talk about money. She called out the league on promises that haven’t been fulfilled. She revealed that the WNBA was supposed to bring in big marketing agreements and TV rights deals. Williams believes they fell short there. And this pay disparity isn’t just about numbers; it’s more about fair treatment for the athletes.

However, for Williams, this isn’t a new battle. Back when she chose to represent France in the EuroBasket 2021 and the Tokyo Olympics instead of committing to the WNBA, her then-coach at Chicago Sky, James Wade, didn’t take it well. He put her on a full-season suspension list. But Williams stuck to her guns, making it clear that she has her own priorities. Sure, she eventually came back to the WNBA, but only of her will. 

Fast forward to what happened in Istanbul; although fans’ actions aren’t justifiable at all, the debate is understandable- after all, it’s not every day you see players openly taking shots at league management. Moreover, pay disparity is nothing new. Whether or not the association will respond to these comments, this conversation is far from over.