The WNBA’s historic deal teaches girls everywhere to advocate for themselves | WNBA

I interviewed Jemele Hill for my podcast The Rematch and asked her reaction to the WNBA’s historic new collective bargaining agreement, a seven-year agreement that includes an increase in the salary cap to $7 million (up from $1.5 million in 2025), maximum salaries approaching $1.4 million, 20 percent revenue sharing, expanded rosters, charter flights and more.

Hill didn’t mince his words.

“Unfortunately, there’s still a very common attitude when it comes to women’s sports that, ‘Hey, honey, you should just be happy that someone lets you put on a uniform and bounce a ball,'” she said.

I’m a girl dad. My daughters, Imani and Sierra, both play volleyball at Bishop McNamara High School in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and for juniors at Maryland. They followed these negotiations closely – for reasons that go far beyond the game.

One morning a few months ago while on a school run, SiriusXM was on, as we often do. The subject was Minnesota Lynx star and WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier, who had publicly criticized what she called a “dangerous and dismissive culture at the top of the WNBA.”

She accused the league of negligence — ignoring injuries, ignoring referees’ concerns and failing to treat players with basic respect. She also described a meeting with Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in which she raised issues including poor referee and rookie salaries for players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, who generate huge revenue for the league.

Collier said Engelbert told players they should be “on their knees thanking their lucky stars” for the media rights deal and that Clark should be “grateful” to the WNBA platform when it comes to off-court revenue. (Engelbert later disputed this account.)

Collier then said the WNBA had the worst leadership in the world. Needless to say, these statements got the attention of the entire rideshare crowd.

Then came the reaction. A clip of right-wing sports pundit Dan Dakich ripping Collier to shreds for having the “audacity” to say what she said. Frank Isola agrees with everything Dakich said. The tone was familiar: who does she think she is? It was a private conversation. WNBA players should be grateful.

That’s when carpooling came alive.

Addy, our starting defensive specialist, said, “Doesn’t he know that Napheesa Collier is probably second to A’ja Wilson? He talks about her like she’s a little girl.”

Imani: “He thinks every WNBA player should get on their knees in gratitude? Who is this guy? What decade are they in? It’s 2026, not the 1950s.”

Sierra: “They act like women don’t deserve anything. Basically shut up, drool and be grateful? I’m glad she called them. So it doesn’t change when you grow up, huh?”

I turned down the volume and asked them if they encountered this kind of thinking as female athletes.

All three said: Yes! All the time !

They told stories: teams forced to practice outside so boys could go to the gym; weight training slots at 5 a.m. or late in the evening because football comes first; ten-year-old uniforms for girls while boys get new ones every year. And everything is processed normally.

Sierra then brought up Swagger, the Apple TV show we watch together. In one scene, an American McDonald’s basketball player named Crystal (played by Quvenzhané Wallis) is pushed off the court during a practice session by a group of boys. Instead of leaving, she goes live on her phone and calls them. They step back.

“That’s why we have to defend ourselves,” Sierra said. “Like WNBA players. »

So when people ask me why I speak out – why I call out commentators like Dakich, Stephen A Smith or Isola – this is why.

Throughout these negotiations, a familiar argument kept coming up: The WNBA doesn’t generate what the NBA generates in revenue, so it shouldn’t expect the same treatment. But does that mean players should be treated like second-class citizens?

Prior to this agreement, WNBA players received approximately 9% of league revenue. For context: NBA players receive 49-51% of basketball-related revenue; NFL players about 62%; NHL players 50%; MLB players about 48%.

Nine percent. It wasn’t just unfair. It was disrespectful.

As Hill told me: “Women in sports have had to fight for dignity and respect since the day they started playing sports. »

And every female athlete will tell you: resources, respect, opportunities are not equal. This reflects a broader reality. According to the 2025 Gender Wage Gap Report, American women working full time earn about 82 to 85 cents for every dollar earned by men. This gap persists in most sectors.

Let’s be clear: no WNBA player asks to be paid like NBA players. But it’s outrageous that a professional athlete has to take a second job to make ends meet.

For years, WNBA players have gone overseas during the offseason just to supplement their income. Again, no one expects them to make LeBron James’ salary, but they should be able to support themselves and their family. It’s not the 1950s. It’s 2026. This should not be the reality for any professional athlete.

The causes of the pay gap between men and women are structural. They are rooted in unequal opportunities, expectations and standards that shape women’s careers long before they negotiate salaries with their employers.

This is why this moment is important. The women of the WNBA understood their value. They got organized. They advocated. And they made a deal that will forever change the lives of players in their league. This act of solidarity sent a message – not just to my daughters’ carpool, but to young girls everywhere.

My oldest daughter said it best: “As a Black woman in sports, seeing WNBA players demanding fair pay reminds me that I need to stand up for my worth. Because if I don’t, society will continue to undervalue me, no matter how hard I work.”

Imani, I couldn’t agree more.