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Steph Curry has never been shy about using his platform to address bigger-picture issues in the NBA, and his latest comments on player pay have sparked plenty of debate, per Vibe. In a sit-down with Complex’s Speedy Morman, the Golden State Warriors star was asked if he believes NBA players are underpaid. Curry's answer was a clear yes, and for a very specific reason.
“I think, because of the way the CBA is structured right now, we can’t participate in equity,” Curry explained. “It’s a partnership with ownership. It’s a partnership with the league, and we’re on a short-term of that revenue.”
Curry knows his contracts are massive, with Spotrac listing his 2024-25 salary at $59.6 million and another extension bumping him to $62.6 million the following year. But when compared to the growth of the NBA’s revenue, Curry says those numbers still don’t reflect players’ true worth. “Those numbers sound crazy, but what the league is doing… is probably 10x that,” he added.
Why the equity conversation matters
At the heart of Curry’s comments is the idea of equity. Players generate the product, but the current collective bargaining agreement prevents them from sharing in the ownership stakes or long-term profits of teams. “Hopefully sooner than later, those rules change a little bit so that players can participate more in the upside of team equity, the league, evaluations, and all that type of stuff. Just ’cause I think we deserve it,” Curry said.
Fans had mixed reactions. Some agreed, noting that athletes like Curry and LeBron James drive massive revenue through ticket and merchandise sales yet don’t receive a proportional share. Others felt asking for more money when superstars already make tens of millions annually feels out of touch.
Still, Steph Curry’s point hits a nerve. Owners benefit from players’ legacies long after they retire, while the athletes themselves lose those earnings the moment their careers end. For now, the NBA Players Association may be eyeing equity as a key focus in future CBA negotiations.
