Once again, the gender-based pay gap is under scrutiny. It is WNBA this time, under the spotlight, following revelations about the salaries of top rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Despite their intense rivalry on the court, both athletes face similar financial challenges, with Clark earning $76,000 and Reese slightly less at $73,000—salaries that barely cover basic living expenses. This might just be the beginning of an alliance between the two rivals.

Yes, that’s right! In an interview with WSJ, she says, “Me and Caitlin have been playing against each other since we were kids.” But it was, in fact, the 2023 NCAA championship that LSU won that brought a record 9.9 million viewers to women’s college basketball. And when Angel Reese pointed to her ring finger, the deal was sealed. These two were destined to be portrayed as lifelong rivals.

And yet, talking about that moment, the Chi-Town Barbie says, “It was just a full-circle moment of how women are viewed when it comes to trash-talking. And it’s okay in men’s sports so we’re gonna normalize that in women’s sports as well. It’s just super competitive, we’re both two great competitors. We brought a lot of fans to this league and I thought we’re gonna continue to do that and one day hopefully we can be teammates.”

They did play together at the WNBA All-Star Game on July 20, defeating the USA Women’s National Team by 117-109. We might see the pair at the LA Olympics in 2028 playing together for the country, but other than that, it might be difficult to say if they’ll ever wear the same team jerseys in the W. Nevertheless, we might see them united in talking about the pay disparity in professional basketball someday.

In the WSJ interview, Reese also talks about how her NIL career, where she stood at a whopping $1 million in valuation, helped raise the bar for college sports endorsements. “Now being able to look back and look at what I did in my whole college career with NIL, being able to see how I was one of the highest paid women’s players, and just players in college sports is something that’s crazy.” And the person managing all that is her mom!

Reese credits her mother for instilling financial discipline, explaining, “She insists on checking my accounts, double checking my accounts, not spending before I see the money, and just making the right investments.”In an industry where financial mismanagement can derail careers, this guidance has been crucial for Reese as she balances endorsement earnings with her WNBA salary.

Despite the lower pay in the WNBA compared to international leagues, both Reese and Clark have expressed their commitment to staying in the W. Their dedication to the league, rather than seeking higher earnings abroad, highlights their desire to grow the sport in the United States.

Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark’s WNBA dream

Shaquille O’Neal picks Angel Reese as his favorite out of this competitive rookie duo and thinks these two should not play on the same team. After all, nothing makes a player better than a rival to compete against. He also agrees that WNBA players should get “similar contracts as what some of these NBA guys are making.”

But despite this gap, both Reese and CC say it’s the W where they want to be, not another league, not for the money at least. “I think the WNBA was always my dream and where I wanted to go,” Clark said, per CBS. Even the Sky rookie told WSJ that putting her name in for the draft was a big decision for her, and neither has expressed an interest in playing overseas, even in the offseason. However, the Baltimore native will be appearing in the Unrivaled League for her wish to play in the 3×3 format.

As the discussion about the gender pay gap continues, fans will also continue to fight for W players’ rights alongside them. While some might argue that the league does not have enough eyes on it yet or enough games in the season to earn money from ticket sales yet to demand more pay, a change is coming. And the W is ready for it.