Angel Reese has issued a dig at WNBA chiefs amid a looming lockout threat over low salaries.
Rising star Reese, alongside long-time rival Caitlin Clark, generated a media firestorm in their rookie WNBA seasons. And, even though the season is over, with New York Liberty winning the Finals on October 20, the headlines – both on and off the paint – keep on coming.
For Reese, it’s a new Reebok endorsement deal which extends her contract with the company, and sees her release a signature shoe in 2026. The endorsement agreement with Reebok began when Reese was at LSU, prior to her even becoming a pro player at Chicago Sky.
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It is arguably this, which led her to post on X, that: “God is so good.” However, in the tweet, she added that it “looks like I can ‘afford’ my bills now.”
Reese’s comment references an earlier statement of hers in which she said on a live stream that: “The WNBA don’t pay my bills at all.” She told her followers that the paltry pro sports pay of $74,000 isn’t enough to fund her rent, which she said is $8,000 a month – almost $100,000 a year – which is a loft-style apartment in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood.
“I don’t even think that [the salary] pays one of my bills,” she said. “Literally… I’m living beyond my means.”
Angel Reese is already a huge WNBA star (
G Fiume/Getty Images)
WNBA pay has been a sticking point between players and the league, of late as the players union on Monday opted out of its collective bargaining agreement signed in 2020. According to a statement, the players want “a business model that reflects their true value, encompassing higher salaries, enhanced professional working conditions, expanded health benefits, and crucial investments needed for long-term growth.”
The union opted out to instead reach a fresh agreement within 12 months. But if one cannot be struck by October 31, 2025, then the WNBA would be forced into a lockout period.
Reese has previously expressed interest in players having an equity stake in the league they compete in, and, considering her comments on rent, would also presumably push for enhanced pay, too.
Though the WNBA pay is not enough to fund her rent, she has partnerships with the peanut butter and chocolate candy brand Reese’s, audio firm Beats by Dre, Good American, Tampax, and the beauty company Mielle. This, together with her contract renewal with Reebok. Additionally, Reese sells merchandise on her personal website, with items ranging in price from $35 to $150. She recently also launched a podcast called “Unapologetically Angel”.
Reese earlier this year signed with Unrivaled, which is a 3-on-3 women’s basketball league. They play in January, 2025, during the WNBA’s off-season, adding a further dynamic in the dispute between the WNBA and its superstars.
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