LE Baskow Press Office/Las Vegas
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) shouts with excitement as she makes another basket and gets the foul against Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird (10) and l Forward Breanna Stewart (30), during their WNBA regular season home opener in Mandalay. Bay Events Center, Sunday, May 27, 2018, in Las Vegas.
Monday July 16, 2018 | 2 a.m
A’ja Wilson has been in the WNBA for less than two months, but the Las Vegas Aces superstar center is already becoming a face of the league. She won Rookie of the Month, she’s about to be named an All-Star for the first time, and she’s now a voice for players on pay inequality.
It all started on July 1, when Wilson was having dinner with his father and heard the news of NBA star LeBron James signing a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. The details of the deal – four years, $154 million – were enough to make Wilson shake his head and pick up his phone.
She tweeted a quick message and sparked a huge debate:
Wilson’s seemingly reasonable opinion elicited responses that spanned the spectrum: some fans supported her, some non-fans mocked her, some NBA stars showed their support, certain media types tried to poke holes in his argument. This sparked a public debate of such magnitude that Wilson now finds himself the de facto spokesperson for the issue of fair pay in women’s sport.
Wilson said she didn’t expect such a big response, but she’s happy her tweet got so many people talking.
“This is the first time I’ve used my platform in this way to express how I feel and to express how we all feel,” Wilson said. “I didn’t expect it to blow up, but I’m glad it did. People who know me off the field know that I speak my mind and can take the heat too.
Wilson not only took the heat, she dished it out as well. She spent much of the next week engaging in conversations via social media, responding to questions and comments and trying to change minds. And when it proved necessary, she didn’t hesitate to adopt a little attitude:
Wilson’s biggest concern was making sure his message wasn’t distorted in the process.
“I love LeBron,” Wilson said. “He’s worth every penny, nickel and dime, and he’s doing great.” I have nothing against. It’s just me, considering myself a professional athlete, thinking, “Damn, it’s out there, how can we get it too?” Not necessarily his number, his contract, even if people made people believe it… For women, the respect factor is the most important. We don’t really get the respect we need. It’s not the fans, it’s the others who don’t follow the league. You saw that when I tweeted it, a group of men told me: “Go back to the kitchen, you don’t deserve to make (millions) like LeBron”, completely missing what is being said . The league tries to promote not only equal pay, but also respect. I’m not going to let someone tell me that I’m not doing my job or that I don’t deserve more.
There is a huge disparity in salaries between the two leagues. The highest-paid player in the NBA for the 2017-18 season was Golden State guard Stephen Curry, who earned $34.6 million. The maximum salary for a WNBA veteran is capped at $115,500.
As the No. 1 pick in April’s WNBA draft, Wilson received a first-year salary of $52,564. The NBA’s latest No. 1 pick, Phoenix Suns big man DeAndre Ayton, is expected to make more than $8.1 million this year.
Wilson and Aces teammate Kayla McBride admit it’s unrealistic to aim for a total salary as high as the NBA’s because the men’s league brings in far more money through ticket sales, clothing, broadcast rights and other sources of income. According to Forbes, the NBA’s 30 teams generated $7.36 billion in revenue for the 2016-17 season, while the magazine estimates the WNBA’s 2017 revenue at around $52.4 million. So it’s not possible to reach LeBron and Steph’s stratosphere in terms of total contract value.
What Wilson and McBride (and most WNBA players) take issue with is how that revenue is distributed. While the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement with the players’ association requires that 50 percent of league revenue be distributed to players, WNBA players receive less than 22 percent of league revenue.
Wilson’s tweet may have turned up the volume of the conversation, but the problem itself is not new. McBride said the revenue split allowed for regular locker room conversations between players.
“It’s a major topic,” McBride said. “It usually starts when we talk about overseas. The reality of our situation is that’s where we make our money, so it all starts there, like, “Are you going abroad this year?” “It starts there and it comes down to, “Man, I wish we made more money in the WNBA. » We are abroad more than in America. So it’s not something we really intend to talk about, it’s just understood. Then when the numbers come up — we only get 22 percent of our revenue, while the NBA gets 50 percent — then it sparks a conversation. It’s hard to hear.
McBride, a fourth-year veteran who is averaging 18.9 points per game for the Aces this season, played for a club team in the Turkish professional league over the winter.
WNBA players can vote to opt out of the current CBA after the 2019 season, and McBride sees that as the only way to increase players’ share of revenue.
“Players are going to be able to vote to opt out of the CBA, so it’s important to understand what’s important,” McBride said. “Educate yourself on what we have and what we don’t have as a league. Right now is the best time to come together and really move forward. We are going to have to withdraw, I think everyone knows that. I think this is our best option.
Despite her relatively new status as a WNBA star, Wilson wasn’t afraid to speak out. And McBride thinks she speaks for most of the league.
“I think women’s basketball in general is growing, the viewership and popularity is growing,” McBride said. “No one will do it for us. We know more than anyone can ever tell us. We experience this every day. It may not happen in five or ten years, but it is important that young girls can earn their respect. We might get some backlash, but we need women in this league willing to put it out there. We deserve respect. I think it was the perfect time for her to speak out.
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or (email protected). Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
