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Debate

Does Angel Reese's $100K bet with Shaq highlight the WNBA's salary issues or just playful banter?

The disparity between men’s and women’s salaries in sports has been an oft-discussed topic in the WNBA. But while the question has been of the amount being deposited into players’ accounts, Angel Reese probably didn’t expect to lose $100k to Shaquille O’Neal over a bet. Her $73,439 rookie salary with the Chicago Sky already has a dent in it, it seems, and she’s already not happy with the number.

In her latest Instagram Live, she made a blunt statement, “Hating pays my bills, baby. I just hope you know the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all. I don’t even think that pays one of my bills. Literally, I’m trying to think of my rent for where I stay at [in Chicago]. I’m gonna do the math real quick. I don’t even know my [WNBA] salary.”

The Chicago Sky player, niece to Uncle Shaq, recently challenged the former pro to make a shot from the free throw line for $100K back in the beginning of October. And while it has been 13 years since Shaq played professionally, he’s a legend for a reason. Of course, he made the shot easily! Posting the incident on Instagram, she captioned the video of the incident, “I guess I owe him 100K 😭.”

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That’s some zeroes out of her paycheck, which Angel Reese says she “wouldn’t even be able to eat a sandwich with!” She continues, “Yo, I’m living beyond my means! No, my rent is more than that. It’s $8,000. I’m living beyond my means. Babe, if y’all thought… I wouldn’t even be able to eat a sandwich with [the WNBA salary]. I wouldn’t even be able to live.”

It’s worth noting that $73,439 is her base salary, minus her All-Star and All-Rookie team bonuses, $2,575 and $1,500 respectively. Much like most athletes, the bigger part of Reese’s earnings comes from brand endorsements, which she ironically got through basketball.

Calling her “the greatest athlete to ever come out of LSU sports,” even Shaq agrees that it’s high time this question of unequal pay was solved.

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What’s your perspective on:

Does Angel Reese's $100K bet with Shaq highlight the WNBA's salary issues or just playful banter?

Have an interesting take?

Shaq wants W favorite Angel Reese to be on the same pay level as NBA players

Shaquille O’Neal told PEOPLE that when he speaks to Angel Reese “about greatness,” he’s “seen it” and “heard it.” Therefore, he said, “you can take my word for it.” Given his own vast experience, he’s the right person to advise the Sky youngster about her pro career.

When Reese clashed with longtime rival Caitlin Clark in August in a Fever vs Sky game, Shaq pulled up at Wintrust Arena to watch the showdown. While he respects what CC has done for the league and her skills and talent, the retired NBA pro still leans toward supporting Reese.

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But he also stays true to the sport. When asked about the WNBA’s renewed popularity, he said, They’ve always played great, they’ve always played hard. I’m glad they’re getting the exposure. They definitely deserve it.” But then Shaq added, “Now we just gotta get them similar contracts as what some of these NBA guys are making.”

There will always be naysayers to this statement, with the neverending debate of the pros and cons of how popular each league actually is and how much they should be eligible to earn. But times are changing, and Shaq and Reese’s wishes might actually come true someday soon!

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