San Antonio Spurs shooting guard DeMar DeRozan became the latest advocate of fair pay for WNBA players after several of the stars had raised concern about the exorbitant disparity between what they make compared to NBA stars.
Golden State Warriors point man Stephen Curry recently penned a “personal” piece on The Players' Tribune about women's equality, raising awareness for the gender inequality between the two leagues. DeRozan agreed wholeheartedly.
These ladies definitely should be getting paid in the @WNBA.
— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) September 2, 2018
Dallas Wings star Skylar Diggins-Smith, who was the first to ignite this debate once again, noted the vast difference between what she makes and what Harrison Barnes of the Dallas Mavericks makes, with many fewer accolades than the four-time WNBA All-Star.
Diggins-Smith's issue didn't revolve so much about the disparity in money, but rather the sharing of basketball revenue. NBA players get 50 percent of the revenue (jersey sales, merchandise, posters, watches, memorabilia), while the WNBA players get a percentage hovering around 20 percent — nearly half or less of what the men receive.
While the WNBA doesn't nearly generate as much revenue as a booming league like the NBA, most believe this gender inequality is a huge reason why MVP front-runners like Liz Cambage could hang them up for this league, opting to stay overseas.
Fellow All-Star, center Brittney Griner, recently had a similar claim misattributed to her about Miami Heat guard Tyler Johnson, and while she firmly denied bringing up his name, ultimately agreed with Diggins-Smith's sentiment.
The majority of WNBA players play in places like Russia, Spain, and China during the offseason and are often compensated much more graciously for their skills, giving them little to no reason to stick in the WNBA for longer than a few years of notoriety.
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