After WNBA All-Stars wore “pays us what you owe us” t-shirts at the All-Star Game, it sparked an ongoing debate, which could have a ripple effect on United States President Donald Trump getting involved, according to ESPN's Stephen A Smith. For Smith, any wrongdoing involving Indiana Fever All-Star Caitlin Clark can spiral to a bigger issue. WNBA salaries could quadruple in the next CBA.
Smith highlighted the significance of the WNBA All-Stars' recent protest, which garnered national attention, according to ESPN's First Take.
“I'm just warning them. Watch it because if he gets involved and that base gets involved, because somehow, some way, they embrace victimhood on the part of Caitlin Clark, it could be a problem. Be careful. And I'm talking to the officials. I'm talking to the WNBA. I'm talking to the players in the league. I am coming from a position of support. I don't want this to happen. But ignoring it, acting like it ain't happening, the Wall Street Journal writing about that when they did, you know that was just a couple of weeks after those ladies wore those t-shirts.
“There's a collective bargaining negotiation coming up, and then all of a sudden that story comes out? That's not a coincidence to me,” Stephen A Smith concluded.
Stephen A. Smith thinks Donald Trump could get involved calling for an investigation into Caitlin Clark's WNBA treatment.
"If he gets involved and that base gets involved, because somehow, some way they embrace victimhood on the part of Caitlin Clark it could be a problem." pic.twitter.com/TvEYNnqikY
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 7, 2025
Nick Wright's take on Caitlin Clark, WNBA critics of salary demands
Fox Sports 1's Nick Wright blasted harsh critics of WNBA players, including Fever All-Star Caitlin Clark and their recent salary demands. While some predominantly NBA fans assume the WNBA players' recent protest suggests they want to make close to the same amount of money as NBA players, that's simply not the case.
Wright called the harsh critics out, per Fox Sports 1's What's Wright?
“The story is how many people are such utter losers. Nobody serious is arguing that the WNBA players and the NBA players should make the same amount of money,” Wright said. “But nobody serious can actually think that Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers making $70 some grand a year is a proper payment for services rendered.”
After referring to the uninformed as “losers,” Wright didn't hold back while defending the Fever All-Star.
“Is there any capitalistic endeavor where someone of Caitlin Clark's quality would make less than $80,000 a year? And the answer is no. It is just outrageous, the amount of people, that were like, ‘Pipe down, ladies. Be happy.' So many losers are just bootlicking management sellouts.”
“Nobody serious can actually think that Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers making $70-something grand a year is a proper payment.”@getnickwright says it’s obvious that WNBA players should be earning more money… and too many losers don’t understand what’s going on pic.twitter.com/0X5Ws8Aet4
— What’s Wright? with Nick Wright (@WhatsWrightShow) July 22, 2025
It'll be interesting to see how it all pans out ahead of the WNBA's new CBA.
