Breanna Stewart Injury Ignites NBA & WNBA Pay Gap Debate

BYAlexander Cole4.4K Views
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Breanna Stewart
Some fans are upset that Stewart has to play in two leagues.

Breanna Stewart is one of the best women's basketball players in the world and currently plays for the Seattle Storm of the WNBA. The team won the championship in 2018 and Stewart was a huge part of that big win. Unfortunately for Stewart, she ruptured her Achilles tendon while playing in the Euro League, just a month before the WNBA season.

Her injury sent shockwaves around the basketball community as WNBA players and even NBA stars like LeBron James took to Twitter to show their support.

The injury ultimately sparked a huge debate about NBA Players, WNBA Players and the wage discrepancy between them. Stewart only made a base salary of $56,000 last season despite being the league MVP. The average salary in the WNBA is $75,000 while the minimum salary in the NBA is $840,000, according to Complex. Due to her low wage, Stewart played in the Euro League where she would be able to make some money on the side.

These facts led to a hefty debate on Twitter where multiple people took the side of WNBA players who have to struggle with a low wage. As of right now, fans are hoping a change will be made in light of Stewart's injury, although whether or not that will come to fruition is up for debate.

Where do you stand on this issue?


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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