Breanna Stewart is taking the long view on the WNBA's meager salaries

With the arrival of the 2024 draft class, the WNBA salary debate is re-infiltrating sports circles. Fans, pundits, and even media personalities like Whoopi Goldberg are discussing how much money the WNBA is making and how little it is seemingly paying its players. However, two-time champion and 2023 league MVP Breanna Stewart says a salary increase will not immediately occur.

As 2024’s highly anticipated draft is introduced to the sports world, many people have wondered why these top-tier college athletes won’t be paid as much as their NBA counterparts. The answer is complex and includes factors like media rights deals and investment from owners. Still, the seemingly low numbers don’t wholly reflect the growth and changes that have been happening for several years — changes that New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart says will take some time to feel.

Per Natasha Dye and Julie Mazziotta of People, here’s what Stewie recently shared about the WNBA salary debate:

“I think that the changes have been happening. The WNBA has been around for 28 years, which is really small compared to any other league in professional sports. Hopefully, soon again, we’ll be at another turning point, where we’ll have another CBA, and that’ll also increase player salaries.

You can talk about opportunities for pensions and charters and all these things, but it’s not something that’s going to change overnight, and it’s the mix between us continuing to be great on the court and taking advantage of the things happening off the court.”

Breanna Stewart Reacts to WNBA Salary Discourse: ‘Not Something That’s Going to Change Overnight’ (Exclusive) https://t.co/8nMwPitlS0

— People (@people) April 23, 2024