Damian Lillard has never been one to not speak his mind. While watching a WNBA game with fellow NBA star and California native DeMar DeRozan, the Portland Trail Blazers star took the opportunity to speak up for the less-recognized players.

During his courtside interview, Lillard insisted this point about the female players:

“[WNBA players] deserve a lot more respect. They deserve to make a lot more money than they do.”

He went on to make the point that WNBA players are frequently not seen or treated as professional athletes, which is unfair considering their work ethic, skill level, and athleticism.

Lillard was backed by DeRozan, who reiterated his point that these players play as hard as their male counterparts do in the NBA, for only a portion of the pay and recognition.

According to Paulana Lamonier of Forbes, the average WNBA player is only making about one-fifth of a minimum NBA salary, a glaring gap between the two wages that is impossible to ignore.

While it is true that the NBA does bring in more revenue then the WNBA, female athletes receive only half of what male players receive off the league revenue, contributing to the wage gap.

It's refreshing to see NBA stars like Lillard and DeRozan speak out about the divide between the two leagues, and hopefully, they can help bridge this gap for future generations of basketball players.