WNBA star Brittney Griner vehemently denied calling out Miami Heat shooting guard Tyler Johnson and his hefty salary, taking to Instagram to dispute what was attributed as her own words.
“Never said this [by the way],” the Phoenix Mercury center captioned the post. “I do believe we should get paid more in the WNBA before players decide to only play overseas and rest our bodies during the summer. However, I never called out a NBA player. I have said that they make a crazy amount of money and it would be nice to make even half of what they make.”
Also (no disrespect, but I don’t even know who he is) wouldn’t call out anybody I don’t know. Especially don’t know what he makes. I just know we don’t make s**t.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnASVyBgP-G/?taken-by=brittneyyevettegriner
Griner's post came only minutes after NBA Reddit sub r/heat had a post by user wallheat23 directing to a since-deleted Instagram post, which could be the one Griner screen-capped for her followers.
The disparity in salaries was once again re-ignited after Dallas Wings star Skylar Diggins-Smith spoke out about the vast difference in player-received revenue, comparing her $115,000 salary to Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes; the highest paid player in the roster, who will make $24.1 million this season.
Griner insists that she agrees with fellow WNBA star Diggins-Smith, but she'd never call out a person she doesn't know. The quote sounds rather awkward and not articulate, as Diggins-Smith's was during her interview.
“You have a bunch of keyboard warriors that never picked up a ball a day in their lives talking bad about the NBA. You have mediocre players like Tyler Johnson making almost $20M a year. We deserve more respect.”
Johnson will make $19.2 million this season and the next after signing a four-year, $50 million deal with the Heat. Thought it's worthy to note that Johnson received only $5.6-and-$5.9 million in the first two years of his contract — a backloaded contract which was initially stipulated by the Brooklyn Nets in 2016, forcing Miami to match it in a poison pill attempt.
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