The National Basketball Association (NBA) consists of 450 players. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), has 144 players. While the WNBA does not generate as much revenue as the NBA, as the women’s league hasn’t been around nearly as long as the men’s, the pay gap between male and female professional basketball players must be reduced.

One would think that because the WNBA has fewer players to pay, they could pay their players more, right? Wrong. The highest-paid NBA player? Lebron James, $119.5 million (Sportico). The highest-paid WNBA player? There is not just one, there is a list of higher-paid players due to the WNBA’s unique maximum salary. Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, and Jewell Lloyd are the highest-paid WNBA players with a limited salary of $228,094 per year (Boardroom). Taurasi, Stewart, and Lloyd all put in the same amount of time, energy, and effort into their game as James does, however, and yet they are paid considerably less.

Jason Rapp is the head coach of the girls’ basketball team at Pennridge High  School. When describing the work ethics between the genders, Rapp claimed, “There is no difference in work ethic […] As with the boys, the skill level depends on the team and the players you have.” The same goes for the pros. “The game is different,” he acknowledged, noting the size and vertical ability, but the effort and energy are the same.

Long-time basketball fan Nancy Chodoroff of Newtown alluded to not just the pay gap, but the age gap between the NBA and the WNBA. “The NBA had a 50-year head start to build a fanbase and generate revenue,” said Chodoroff. She went on to propose that, to catch up with the men financially, the WNBA should try to sell more tickets and merchandise to increase revenue. The league could also increase the number of games in hopes of selling more tickets. Women deserve to be paid as much as men, but the WNBA needs help to make that happen. Support female athletes today and every day!

Sources:

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/basketball/2022/nbas-highest-paid-players-lebron-curry-kd-300m-in-2022-23-1234691281/

https://boardroom.tv/highest-wnba-salaries-2022/

https://www.hoopsbeast.com/total-nba-players/

https://theleadsm.com/2022-wnba-draft-by-the-numbers/#:~:text=The%20league%20allows%2012%20players,144%20players%20in%20the%20WNBA.

https://www.nba.com/news/nba-salary-cap-and-tax-level-expected-to-rise-in-2023-24

https://boardroom.tv/wnba-free-agent-signings-2022/

https://www.pennridge.org/domain/1257

https://www.suburbanonesports.com/article/content/pennridge-announces-coaching-changes-00100679#:~:text=Pennridge%20Girls’%20Basketball%3A,the%20community%20living%20in%20Perkasie.