Kareem Abdul Jabbar weighs on the question of the WNBA charter.
The NBA Hall of Famer said on Twitter Thursday that he is “all in favor of equal rights for WNBA players” as the hot topic of charter flights resurfaced in the wake information according to which Six-time WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner must fly private due to security concerns.
Charter flights are currently not permitted in the WNBA.
Abdul-Jabbar said he has “been there – done that and played at the highest level,” but he knows firsthand the toll commercial travel takes on an athlete’s body. He traveled via commercial flights during his historic 20-year career, where he accumulated best score of all time in the league that LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is getting closer.
“Today’s NBA players have never had to deal with the effects of commercial travel on their bodies,” Abdul-Jabbar tweeted.
Although NBA players are not required to steal commercially, that hasn’t stopped them from advocating for equal rights for WNBA players. Kyrie Irving said he was “with (the WNBA players) no matter how much it costs” and Ja Morant added“count on me.”
KYRIE IRVING: ‘We need to do something’ about WNBA charter flights
AND AFTER? Brittney Griner may have to take a private flight. The WNBA does not allow charters.
Seven-year veteran Breanna Stewart, the hottest free agent this offseason, said she “would love to be part of a deal that helps subsidize charter travel for the entire WNBA” to give prioritizing the safety and health of players. Abdul-Jabbar praised Stewart for being at the forefront: “Kudos to Breanna for raising this issue.”
Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has previously discussed the challenges of flying commercially, saying he was just another coach in the early years of his career before private flying became the norm in the NBA.
“It drives me crazy when guys who make $30 million complain about playing basketball two days in a row,” he said on Geno Auriemma’s podcast in 2017. “We did that and we took commercial flights. These guys, they never even go to the airport. I remember I was sleeping in the airport at 5 a.m., traveling three hours and playing a game that day- there.
Barkley added: “It was so crazy because every plane left at 6 or 7 a.m. We would be at the airport at 4:30 p.m., 5 times most of the time. We were asleep, half the guys laying on the ground and then my first year, I was coaching all year.
MORE:Charles Barkley says he had to become an NBA coach
The ongoing topic of charters has resurfaced in recent weeks after security concerns were raised over the safety of Griner, who was reportedly scheduled to take a private flight following his release from Russia in a controversial prisoner exchange in December .
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert previously rejected the idea of charters, telling ESPN: “We asked all the major airlines. We asked charter companies. I’ve been working on this since I came into the league. Without the intervention of sponsors, this is simply not possible at the moment. »
Engelbert estimated that chartering the entire season for all 12 teams would cost more than $20 million.
Contributor: Lindsay Schnell
