WNBA legend Diana Taurasi has joined the lengthy listing of former and lively athletes to blast salaries within the league.
In a trailer for an upcoming docuseries about her profession, the WNBA’s all-time scoring chief did not maintain again in an expletive-laden rant in regards to the lowly contracts she acquired throughout her profession
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“I’m the perfect participant on the earth, and I’ve to go to a communist nation to receives a commission like a capitalist,” Taurasi mentioned, alluding to her time travelling to Russia.
“The f***ing janitor on the enviornment made greater than me,” she later added.
Taurasi’s rookie wage with the Phoenix Mercury in 2004 after her tenure at UConn was simply $42,000.
Over time, that wage went up together with her final deal earlier than she retired in March 2025 being a two-year $469,872 contract.
It meant her earnings throughout her 20-year profession within the league hit $1.38 million
The bottom-paid rookie within the NBA will make that very same determine in only one season.
Taurasi managed to rake in rather more overseas.
Her rich worldwide profession started in 2005 with the Russian Premier League workforce Dynamo Moscow, the place she was the star.
She then joined rivals Spartak Moscow earlier than becoming a member of Turkish workforce Fenerbahce.
Taurasi’s worldwide profession resulted in 2017 with UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Euroleague after a six-year run with the franchise.
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Her worldwide accolades are gorgeous as she left Europe as being six-time EuroLeague champion and a seven-time Russian Nationwide League champion.
Taurasi’s rant went viral on social media, and whereas many agreed together with her sentiment, some questioned her demand for higher pay.
“The model has to generate earnings. She thinks that she deserves it, however whose cash does she count on to pay her? The league is sponsored by the NBA,” one fan posted on X.
“Till the WNBA turns into worthwhile, I can not see how one can need extra money,” one other wrote.
The WNBA shouldn’t be worthwhile
It’s true that the WNBA is subsidised by the NBA, with the boys’s league proudly owning 60% of the ladies’s league.
Since its inception in 1997, the WNBA has by no means turned a revenue.
Pre-2023 annual losses have been round $10 million and 2024 noticed that quantity balloon to $50 million, whilst league revenues grew to over $200 million.
Nevertheless, the WNBA is having fun with super development with viewership, common attendance and file investments into the league.
The league is increasing and curiosity is rising, with many arguing the WNBA is only a enterprise in its infancy, having not even existed for 30 years, a short while for a premier sports activities league.
Subsequently, like all companies of this magnitude, it wants time to develop.
Diana Taurasi’s prediction for Caitlin Clark
Taurasi additionally made a daring Caitlin Clark prediction.
The all-time nice argued that Clark is the plain participant for the following Nike signature shoe, regardless of solely being within the league for 2 years.
“Caitlin, in fact,” Taurasi mentioned.
“I imply, I do know she has some (participant exclusives), little colorways, however you are able to do that on Nike ID. I imply the following Caitlin shoe needs to be the following one, and you understand my children will likely be sporting it.”
Fellow WNBA star Angel Reese, who’s endorsed by Reebok, has already acquired her signature shoe.