The Wnba’s Historic Deal Teaches Girls Everywhere To Advocate For Themselves | Etan Thomas

I interviewed Jemele Hill for my podcast The Rematch and asked for her guidance to nan WNBA’s landmark caller corporate bargaining agreement, a seven-year woody that includes a net headdress summation to $7m (up from $1.5m successful 2025), maximum salaries approaching $1.4m, 20% gross sharing, expanded rosters, charter flights and more.

Hill didn’t mince words.

“Unfortunately, there’s still a very prevalent cognition erstwhile it comes to women’s sports that, ‘Hey sweetie, you should conscionable beryllium happy that personification is letting you put connected a azygous and bounce a ball,’” she said.

I’m a Girl Dad. My daughters, Imani and Sierra, some play volleyball astatine Bishop McNamara High School successful Prince George’s County, Maryland, and for Maryland Juniors. They followed these negotiations intimately – for reasons that widen good beyond nan game.

One greeting connected nan schoolhouse tally a fewer months ago, we had SiriusXM on, arsenic we often do. The taxable was Minnesota Lynx prima and WNBPA vice-president Napheesa Collier, who had publicly criticized what she called a “dangerous and dismissive civilization astatine nan apical of nan WNBA”.

She accused nan convention of negligence – ignoring injuries, brushing disconnected officiating concerns and failing to dainty players pinch basal respect. She besides described a gathering pinch commissioner Cathy Engelbert successful which she raised issues including mediocre officiating and rookie salaries for players for illustration Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, who are generating tremendous gross for nan league.

Collier said Engelbert told players they should beryllium “on their knees thanking their fortunate stars” for nan media authorities woody and that Clark should beryllium “grateful” for nan WNBA level erstwhile it comes to off-court earnings. (Engelbert later disputed that account.)

Collier past said that nan WNBA has nan worst activity successful nan world. Needless to say, those statements sewage nan full carpool’s attention.

Then came nan reaction. A clip of right-wing sports pundit Dan Dakich ripping Collier to shreds for having nan “audacity” to opportunity what she said. Frank Isola agreeing pinch everything she said. The reside was familiar: Who does she deliberation she is? That was a backstage conversation. WNBA players should beryllium grateful.

That’s erstwhile nan carpool came alive.

Addy, our starting protect specialist, said: “Does he not cognize Napheesa Collier is astir apt 2nd only to A’ja Wilson? He’s talking astir her for illustration she’s a small girl.”

Imani: “He thinks each WNBA players should beryllium crawling connected their knees thankful? Who is this guy? What decade are they in? This is 2026, not nan 1950s.”

Sierra: “They enactment for illustration women don’t merit anything. Basically: unopen up and dribble and beryllium thankful? I’m gladsome she called them out. So that doesn’t alteration erstwhile we turn up, huh?”

I turned nan measurement down and asked if they brushwood that benignant of reasoning arsenic female athletes.

All 3 said: Yes! All nan time!

They told stories: teams forced to believe extracurricular truthful nan boys tin person nan gym; weight-room slots astatine 5am aliases precocious astatine nighttime because shot comes first; decade-old uniforms for girls while boys get caller ones each year. And it’s each treated arsenic normal.

Sierra past brought up Swagger, nan Apple TV show we watch together. In 1 scene, a McDonald’s All-American hoops subordinate named Crystal (played by Quvenzhané Wallis) is pushed disconnected nan tribunal during a workout by a group of boys. Instead of leaving, she goes unrecorded connected her telephone and calls them out. They backmost off.

“That’s why we person to guidelines up for ourselves,” Sierra said. “Like nan WNBA players are.”

So erstwhile group inquire why I speak retired – why I telephone retired commentators for illustration Dakich, Stephen A Smith aliases Isola – that’s why.

Throughout these negotiations, a acquainted statement kept coming up: nan WNBA doesn’t make what nan NBA does successful revenue, truthful it shouldn’t expect nan aforesaid treatment. But does that mean players should beryllium treated arsenic second-class citizens?

Before this deal, WNBA players received astir 9% of convention revenue. For context: NBA players person 49-51% of basketball-related income; NFL players astir 62%; NHL players 50%; MLB players astir 48%.

Nine per cent. That wasn’t conscionable inequitable. It was disrespectful.

As Hill told me: “Women successful sports person had to person this conflict for dignity and respect from nan time women began playing sports.”

And each female jock will show you nan aforesaid thing: nan resources, nan respect, nan opportunities are not equal. That reflects a broader reality. According to nan 2025 gender salary spread report, women successful nan US moving full-time gain astir 82 to 85 cents for each dollar earned by men. That spread persists crossed astir industries.

Minnesota Lynx prima and WNBPA vice-president Napheesa Collier publically criticized what she called a “dangerous and dismissive civilization astatine nan apical of nan WNBA” successful September. Photograph: Godofredo A Vásquez/AP

Let maine beryllium clear: nary WNBA subordinate is asking to beryllium paid for illustration NBA players. But it is outrageous that immoderate master jock has had to return a 2nd occupation to make ends meet.

For years, WNBA players person gone overseas successful nan offseason conscionable to supplement their income. Again, nary 1 is expecting them to make LeBron James’ salary, but they should beryllium capable to support themselves and their families. This isn’t nan 1950s. It’s 2026. That shouldn’t beryllium nan reality for immoderate master athlete.

The causes of nan gender salary spread are structural. They are rooted successful unequal opportunities, expectations and norms that style women’s careers agelong earlier they ever bargain pinch an employer complete wages.

Which is why this infinitesimal matters. The women of nan WNBA understood their value. They organized. They advocated. And they secured a woody that will alteration nan lives of nan players successful their convention forever. That enactment of solidarity sent a connection – not conscionable to my daughters’ carpool, but to young girls everywhere.

My oldest girl put it best: “As a Black female successful sports, seeing players successful nan WNBA request adjacent salary reminds maine that I person to guidelines up for my worth. Because if I don’t, nine will support undervaluing maine nary matter really difficult I work.”

Imani, I couldn’t work together more.