Like last season, Gabby Williams will have played around ten matches in the WNBA, but this time, she lost in the playoffs with the Storm, and she will return to France with her Olympic silver medal. But before returning, the back of Team France had a message to convey to the leaders of the league.
“The WNBA thinks there’s no need to pay us more to be here, and I think I didn’t express that when I first talked about putting the WNBA first.”Williams explained to the press. “Our agent said we could make $700,000. This is not true at all. No player earns that much. We were promised marketing deals for teams and leagues, but they weren’t enough, and international players still don’t want to stay here. »
Gabby Williams made around $23,000
Proof that salaries are very low, the Frenchwoman received $23,491 for the month spent in Seattle. “The WNBA, if you want us to be there, pay us more!” It’s a business, and that’s how it works. »
It should be remembered that the WNBA asks female basketball players to give priority to its championship, even if it means giving up on more lucrative opportunities in Europe. We remember that the WNBA had required that all players be present for the first day of training camps, under penalty of being suspended for the entire season! To avoid this, Williams did not sign with any team, and was thus able to join the Storm after the Olympics as a free agent.
Only 10% of turnover goes to the players
The highest salary in the WNBA goes to Jackie Young at $252,450, while players like Brittney Griner and Breanna Stewart can earn up to $1 million in Europe! Why are salaries so low? Because the WNBA only receives 40% of the revenue generated each year, and only 10% is spent on player salaries. The remaining 60% goes to the NBA and investors.
The good news is that the WNBA will benefit, starting next season, from the boom in the amount of TV rights, and the players’ union will have the possibility of renegotiating the collective agreement, and increasing the share that goes to the players . As their NBA counterparts have done in the past.
