NBA public relations sends tweet addressing WNBA compensation

Photo Credit -- AP/Jessica Hill

As the WNBA season dawns upon us and training camp is only a few days away, the collective bargaining agreement issue is certain to be the primary backstory to the 2019 season given the situations involving Maya Moore, Liz Cambage, and Breanna Stewart.

In a completely unexpected move, NBA Public Relations, from its locked Twitter account, tweeted about WNBA pay. According to the league:


There has recently been inaccurate information reported in the media regarding WNBA pay. In accordance with the CBA, the average compensation for WNBA players last season was $116,000. The top-paid player’s compensation was more than $187,000.

Needless to say, many a W hooper did not take kindly to the NBA’s tweet.

That may not have been the best move for the NBA to make…

Mark Tatum remarked at the WNBA Draft in New York City that the CBA talks were productive from a league standpoint. Sending out information such as this will likely only harden the stance of Nneka Ogwumike and the WNBPA in further its push towards fairer salaries for the players.

Up to this point, there has been no comment from the WNBPA in response to the NBA’s tweet, but if the responses from many players that union represents are anything, its response probably would not be taken in kind at union headquarters – also in New York City.

Notice that in the NBA’s words, it made the mention of compensation instead of salary. For players themselves, they are attempting to spotlight the problem of salary.

On top of everything else, the players are not only attempting to address the salary issue, but also that of a greater effort on the NBA’s part to market WNBA players. The new rebranding could be a start, but the WNBPA is more than likely mentioning this to the league as it continues with CBA talks that will affect if there is or is not a 2020 season.

Will the NBA finally decide to do more than just establish a league and actually #BetOnWomen? Only time will tell.