Gabby Williams has taken a stand against WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, criticizing her for promoting a misleading narrative about player salaries in the league. Williams, a key player for the Seattle Storm, voiced her frustrations regarding the financial situation of WNBA players, particularly in comparison to their earnings overseas.
Having played for the French national team in the recent Paris Olympics, where they secured a silver medal, Williams emphasized the disparity between the promised salaries and the reality. She highlighted Engelbert’s claims about players being able to earn up to $700,000, stating, “That’s actually not true at all. There’s not one player who makes that.” The highest-paid player in the league, Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces, earns around $252,450, illustrating the significant gap between expectations and actual compensation.
Williams elaborated on the shortcomings of team and league marketing agreements, which were supposed to enhance player income but have not met expectations. “If the WNBA wants us to be here, you have to pay us more,” she asserted, indicating that many international players might choose to play abroad for better financial opportunities.
She has previously expressed how the league’s pay structure influenced her decisions to play overseas, prioritizing her family’s financial needs over staying in the WNBA. As an unrestricted free agent following the Storm’s exit from the playoffs at the hands of the Aces, Williams now faces a decision about whether to continue in the league or return to international play where she can potentially earn more.