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Pay gap difference between men and women can get really crazy depending on the industry. On average, women tend to make only 80% of what men earn. This percentage is drastically different in the sports realm, where female basketball players barely make 1.5% of their male counterparts. Love and Hip-Hop star Rich Dollaz recently got wind of this information and took to Twitter to alert his followers.
“Hold up WNBA supermax is 228k a year ohhhhh wow not even a half milli – that’s crazy !!!!!” he tweeted this week. While 228k a year sounds like a lot, its chump change when compared to the millions an NBA player can make in a given year. This number is more exaggerated when considering A-list players like Lebron James or Steph Curry.
Hold up WNBA super max is 228k a year ohhhhh wow not even a half milli – that’s crazy !!!!!
— Rich Dollaz (@richdollaz) February 1, 2022
According to Google, the top paid woman in the WNBA right now is Diana Lorena Taurasi, who plays for the Pheonix Mercury. She is the top-earning making the 228k Rich mentioned. After that, the next highest-paid women are Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, and Elena Delle Donne, who are all maxed out around the same amount.
In the NBA, the numbers are drastically different. This year alone, LeBron James reportedly made $41,180,544. Steph Curry bested him this year, pocketing $45,780,966. In a list released by ESPN covering NBA player salaries, the top 40 players all make over 20 million dollars. You have to scroll all the way down about 400 players to start to see wages like the ones in the WNBA. So what gives? These are both major sports leagues. Why are the guys making so much more?
NBA star Draymond Green recently spoke about this. According to him, the real issue is that WNBA does not have as many investors or advertisers interested. This is concerning because in the modern era, so many organizations claim to support women but are just now showing up for these girls.
NBC Sports reports, “WNBA revenue is a fraction of that produced by the NBA, which is why Green is urging female athletes to target corporations that claim to be [supporting] equality for women.” Green feels like these companies do not value the women in the WNBA and are not investing in them or helping tell their stories. We know LeBron James’ story and we know Steph Curry’s story according to Green. “If they don’t put money toward marketing women, the revenue never grows,” Draymond continued. “And it falls on deaf ears and comes across as a complaint because no one is going to act on it.”
Under Rich Dollaz Tweet, some fans chimed in with their opinions on why the WNBA is underpaid. “Bro, they play like 2 months. Don’t sound crazy to me,” said one. Another said, “Well, if we start watching and attending more WNBA games, maybe they would make more … it’s just what it is, Rich. WNBA isn’t bringing in NBA money, so.”
Before his passing, it was reported that Kobe Bryant was looking to create a real shift in this pay gap. His daughter Gigi was a promising young basketball player with great potential, and he was hoping to get her to the big leagues and bring more visibility to the game.
