Angel Reese Joins Debate After WNBA Commissioner’s ‘Should Be Grateful’ Pay Comment

The growing debate over salaries in women’s basketball intensified this week, as Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese added her voice to criticism of WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert following comments about player pay. The controversy was ignited by Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, who revealed in her post-game interview on Tuesday that Engelbert had downplayed concerns about rookie-scale salaries and suggested that stars like Caitlin Clark should be “grateful” for their earnings outside the league.

Collier, speaking after her team’s semifinal defeat to the Phoenix Mercury, recounted a conversation she said took place with Engelbert earlier this year. “I asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin, Angel and Paige, who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years,” Collier explained. “Her response was, ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $60 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.’”

The remarks, quickly circulated across social media, were met with sharp responses from players and fans alike. Among the first to react was Reese, who took to X (formerly Twitter) with a short but pointed endorsement of Collier’s comments. “10/10. No notes!” she wrote, signaling her full agreement.

Reese’s support came as little surprise. The 23-year-old has previously spoken openly about the financial realities of being a professional women’s basketball player. Last year, she revealed that her $73,000 WNBA salary fell short of covering her annual rent, which totaled $96,000. Like many of her peers, Reese has relied heavily on endorsement deals and external projects—including her role in co-founding the Unrivaled three-on-three league—to secure a six-figure income. For Reese, the issue of compensation is not theoretical but deeply personal.

The timing of the controversy is particularly significant. The WNBA has enjoyed unprecedented growth in recent years, thanks in large part to the star power of players like Reese, Collier, and rookie sensation Caitlin Clark. Attendance numbers have surged, television ratings have spiked, and the league has secured new broadcast agreements, including an 11-year deal with streaming company Versant. Yet despite the commercial boom, the financial structure for players remains a source of growing tension.

Currently, rookies enter the league under fixed-scale contracts that severely limit earnings in their first four seasons. While endorsement deals can provide significant supplemental income—Clark is reported to have signed multiple multi-million-dollar partnerships—players argue that their salaries within the league itself should reflect their direct contributions to revenue growth.

The matter has taken on added urgency as the WNBA’s current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) nears its expiration at the end of October. With negotiations still unresolved, both the league and the players’ union face mounting pressure to reach a breakthrough. Collier, who also serves as vice president of the WNBA Players Association, has become one of the most outspoken voices pushing for reform.

In response to the uproar, Engelbert issued a statement through USA Today late Wednesday, seeking to downplay the controversy while reaffirming her commitment to the league’s future. “I have the utmost respect for Napheesa Collier and for all the players in the WNBA,” Engelbert said. “Together we have all worked tirelessly to transform this league. My focus remains on ensuring a bright future for the players and the WNBA, including collaborating on how we continue to elevate the game. I am disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership, but even when our perspectives differ, my commitment to the players and to this work will not waver.”

The statement did little to quell debate. Fans and analysts remain divided, with some echoing Engelbert’s argument that the league has made strides in securing long-term stability, while others insist that dismissing players’ concerns undermines trust. For Reese, Collier, and others, the discussion is about more than just contracts—it is about respect and recognition for the athletes driving the WNBA’s rise.

As negotiations approach a critical deadline, the fallout from Engelbert’s alleged remarks may prove to be more than a passing controversy. Instead, it could mark a pivotal moment in the league’s labor history, one that forces the WNBA to confront the tension between its rapid commercial ascent and the players whose talent fuels it.