Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese took an opportunity to rip the WNBA once again for the absurdly small salaries it currently pays its players.
It was another shot from Reese, who has consistently complained about the pay from a league that loses millions annually. She’s seemingly become a prominent voice during the WNBA’s looming contract issues despite not being a part of the negotiating team.
Reese responded to Sydney Colson on X when the Indiana Fever guard joked that she’d be glad to take the $50,000 bonus she just earned for her Rose BC winning the Unrivaled championship off her hands.
Rose BC won despite Reese’s injury keeping her out of the playoffs. Angel was also named league Defensive Player of the Year, in part because of her ability to retrieve her own rebounds on missed layups.
“Just wanted to check in and see how ur doing and just let u know I’m here for u if u need anything,” Colson wrote. “[Especially] if u need to get rid of 50k by tomorrow or anything like that.”
Angel Reese Isn’t A Fan Of Her WNBA Salary
Angel Reese took a very snarky shot at the WNBA in her response to Colson.
“I know you are VERY aware & i’m sorry to break it to you but i’m on a rookie contract & that 50k was a little more than half of my contract so I have to keep that to myself,” she fired back.
Look, I completely agree that some of the top stars are not being paid what they are worth due to the rookie contract situation. But what are they expecting a league that constantly loses money to do? Where do they think the money comes from? There’s just no market for it right now.
The problem is that the league has never turned a profit—not even in Caitlin Clark’s first season—and is subsidized by the NBA to stay afloat. If you can’t turn a profit when a once-in-a-generation talent comes along, you’ll never turn a profit.
hey sista. i’m doing well. just won 50k on a flight. I know you are VERY aware & i’m sorry to break it to you but i’m on a rookie contract & that 50k was a little more than half of my contract so I have to keep that to myself…. sorry 🙁 give me a few years and i gotchu. be… https://t.co/TgUbIgMBPy
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) March 18, 2025
Not The First Time She’s Complained
This isn’t the first time Angel Reese has been vocal about her disdain for not making a decent salary. It cropped up again as concerns that the WNBA players will be going on strike in the near future.
As reported at Bounding Into Sports, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) opted out of the league’s current collective bargaining agreement. It will become effective in October of 2025.
The WNBPA is seeking an “equity-based” economic model. But not really. Their “equity” at this point would be millions in debt.
Reese, speaking to Dallas Wings guard Dijonai Carrington, said, “I’ve got to get in the meetings because I’m hearing like, ‘If y’all don’t give us what we want, we sitting out.'”
Give us what we want, or we sitting out. Amazing.
She also whined about being unable to cover her $8,000/month rent on her $73,439 annual salary.
Top stars like Reese and Caitlin Clark make most of their money on outside projects and endorsements. It’s sad that they have to do that, but maybe if the quality of play improves in the league and the WNBA is able to market itself properly, it can generate revenue at some point in the future.
If the players go on strike, though, that will be the final nail in the WNBA’s coffin. Then Reese’s salary will drop markedly. And all of the women will be playing for Unrivaled, which is completely unwatchable 3-on-3 nonsense.
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