Angel Reese may be one of the most recognizable names in the WNBA right now, but her paycheck doesn’t reflect it. In a candid confession that’s shaking the sports world, the 23-year-old star revealed she can’t afford her $96,000 annual rent on her $73,000 WNBA salary—sparking a firestorm of debate over how women athletes are paid.

The Louisiana State alum, now playing for the Chicago Sky, opened up on Instagram and ESPN about the reality behind the glitz of professional basketball fame.

“I just hope y’all know the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all,” Reese said. “I wouldn’t even be able to eat. I wouldn’t be able to live. I’m living beyond my means!”

Though she supplements her income through endorsements and a lucrative spot in the emerging Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, Reese says the league salary alone isn’t sustainable—not even close. “It isn’t enough to pay my car note,” she admitted.

Her remarks come amid ongoing negotiations between the WNBA and the players’ union over fair pay, a battle that’s growing louder with every game.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Under the current WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), players are entitled to just 25% of league profits—but only if certain revenue benchmarks are hit. That’s a stark contrast to the NBA, where players receive a guaranteed 50% share of all league revenues.

While top WNBA players can earn up to $250,000 annually, most rookies like Reese start with salaries just above $70,000—a figure that barely stretches in cities like Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles.

It’s this imbalance that led Reese and several other All-Star players to take a visible stand during warmups for last weekend’s WNBA All-Star Game. Wearing black t-shirts emblazoned with the phrase “Pay Us What You Owe Us,” the players made their frustration known loud and clear.

And one of the NBA’s biggest stars was watching—and agreeing.

Steph Curry Speaks Out

Golden State Warriors icon Steph Curry has long been vocal about closing the gender pay gap in professional sports. But Reese’s raw honesty seems to have reignited his passion for the issue.

Curry, a four-time NBA champion and 2024 Olympic gold medalist, didn’t mince words in his message—one he’s been repeating for years.

In a powerful 2018 piece for The Players’ Tribune that’s now being widely recirculated, Curry wrote:

“Every day is when the pay gap is affecting women. And every day is when the pay gap is sending the wrong message to women about who they are, and how they’re valued.”

He urged fans, fellow athletes, and decision-makers to stop waiting for symbolic dates like Women’s Equality Day to speak out—and to start pushing for tangible change year-round.

“Not just as ‘fathers of daughters,’ or for those sorts of reasons. We need to act because it’s the right thing to do,” Curry wrote.

Curry, who credits his mother Sonya and wife Ayesha for shaping his views on gender equity, is one of the few high-profile male athletes consistently advocating for structural reform in women’s sports.

A Growing Divide

While the WNBA has made major strides in visibility and partnerships—thanks in part to rookies like Reese and Caitlin Clark—its pay structure has not kept pace. Players are now generating unprecedented media buzz, social media engagement, and merchandise sales, yet many still rely on offseason leagues, sponsorships, or overseas contracts just to make ends meet.

Reese’s transparency put a human face on that disconnect.

“She’s one of the top faces of the league, and she’s telling you she can’t afford her life,” one sports marketing executive told USA Today. “That’s not just a bad look—it’s a business liability.”

And it’s not just Reese. Players like Brittney Sykes have also joined the growing movement for pay reform, calling on the league to share profits more equitably and invest in the players driving its growth.

A League at a Tipping Point

The conversation comes as the WNBA continues to benefit from an explosion in fan interest. This season, attendance is up, ratings are surging, and merch is flying off shelves. But many fans—and now sponsors—are beginning to ask: where’s the money going?

Curry’s support adds a powerful male voice to a chorus of WNBA players demanding better treatment, and it underscores a deeper truth: the pay gap isn’t just a women’s issue—it’s a fairness issue.

With media coverage reaching new heights and players like Reese opening up about the harsh financial realities behind their success, the WNBA is facing a turning point.

Does the league invest in the stars who built its momentum—or risk losing them to burnout, injury, or better-paying leagues elsewhere?

For Reese, the message is simple:
“I love this league. But it needs to love us back.”

And for Steph Curry, the time for waiting is over.
“We need to come together to fix this—every day, not just on special occasions,” he says.

Because when one of the brightest stars in the WNBA says she can’t afford to live… it’s time to stop applauding and start acting.