Sports
WNBA - English
WNBA legend Diana Taurasi is no stranger to speaking her mind, but a recent comment about her salary has ignited controversy among fans and commentators alike.
The Phoenix Mercury star, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in women’s basketball, came under fire after a preview for her upcoming Prime Video documentary aired, revealing her frustration over the financial disparities in her career.
Sophie Cunningham called “so damn weird” after TikTok dance
Taurasi, who has played professionally for over two decades, opened up about her need to travel overseas to earn a livable wage, often returning to the U.S. emotionally and physically drained.
“I’m the best player in the world and I have to go to a communist country to get paid like a capitalist,” Taurasi said. “One time I came back and I was like, ‘Man, my parents have just gotten older and I’ve missed a big part of it.'”
Her most polarizing statement, however, came when she highlighted the pay gap between herself and non-athletic arena workers: “We weren’t making that much money, so generational wealth was coming from going to Russia every year. Now we have to come back home and get paid nothing to play in a harder league, in worse conditions, against the best competition in the world. The f***ing janitor in the arena made more than me.”
Fans call out Taurasi’s “disrespect” and “entitlement”
While Taurasi‘s frustrations speak to broader issues in women’s sports, many fans and commentators took exception to her comparison, specifically targeting janitors as a point of contrast. Social media reactions were swift and unforgiving.
One user responded, “At no point did the janitor make more than Diana Taurasi, why does she have to disrespect that person?” Others called her remarks tone-deaf and elitist.
“The other thing that burns me about @DianaTaurasi crapping on janitors is that one of the best men I’ve ever known was one. My grandfather, Don, worked as a janitor after serving in WW2. One of the hardest-working people I’ve known. I’m sorry you had to travel the world to hoop,” wrote one upset fan.
Conservative sports commentator Clay Travis also chimed in: “Diana (Taurasi) complains that janitors make more than her. I don’t know who advises women’s athletes, but ripping other people’s salaries as a way to justify your own is an awful look. Makes me personally think they deserve even less than they get.”
Others were even harsher, labeling her as “another entitled crank” and sarcastically suggesting, “If making money is so important to her then sounds like she should become a f**ing janitor.*”
Despite the uproar, Taurasi‘s comments also shed light on the broader issue of underpaid professional women’s athletes.
Her salary history provides some context. While she earned $234,000 in her final season with the Mercury, her salary in earlier seasons, including four consecutive years at $116,500, was far less.
Her rookie contract in 2004 started at just $40,800, a figure significantly lower than Caitlin Clark’s $76,500 rookie deal in 2024.
Over her WNBA career, Taurasi has earned roughly $1.4 million in contract salaries-not including international play. Like many of her peers, she turned to overseas leagues in Russia and Turkey during the offseason to make up for the financial shortfall.
Fellow WNBA star Brittney Griner did the same, a decision that led to her highly publicized detainment in Russia in 2022.
While Taurasi‘s blunt remarks have clearly struck a nerve, they’ve also reignited conversation about the pay gap in professional women’s sports, an issue that continues to polarize fans and athletes alike.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Christian Pulisic Scores for AC Milan, Enters U.S. Men’s Team Duty On High Note
Christian Pulisic will be returning to the U.S. men's national team in relatively solid form. The USMNT star, who hasn't appeared for the squad since March, scored his first goal of the Italian Serie A season in AC Milan's 2-0 win on Friday over Lecce. Pulisic, along with his former Chelsea teammate Ruben Loftus-Cheek, secured the victory for AC Milan's first league win of the season. Actress Helen Mirren donned a yellow Lecce shirt and watched from the stands, but there was little to excite the home fans or the Oscar-winning star of "The Queen."Milan had two goals chalked off after a video review, but they eventually got one that counted midway through the second half when Loftus-Cheek rose higher than everyone else to glance home a flighted free kick. The win was a relief for Milan, which started the season with a […]
Fantasy football half-PPR mock draft recap for August 29: If you want a quality RB, you’ll have to strike fast
USATSI This 12-team, half-PPR mock draft is our final one prior to Labor Day weekend. We also have an amazing PPR mock draft that we did this week as well. Read them. Study them. Use them to your advantage. Most Fantasy drafts will take place this weekend and into early next week. If you've been following our mocks throughout training camp, then you're ready. You know what strategy you like. You know what players you want to target -- and the ones to avoid. You're ready. If you do need additional help, you have our rankings and tiers. You have our sleepers, breakouts, and busts. You have our podcasts. We're here for you, and we'll continue to be here for you throughout the season. So have fun with your draft. It's going to be awesome. As a reference point for […]
Auburn vs. Baylor prediction, odds, time: 2025 Week 1 college football picks by expert on 64-43 roll
Programs looking to get back to prominence battle when the Auburn Tigers take on the Baylor Bears in a key Week 1 college football matchup on Friday night. Auburn has eight consecutive opening-game wins, while Baylor is 5-1 in openers under coach Dave Aranda. The Tigers (5-7 in 2024), who finished tied for 13th with Oklahoma at 2-6 in the SEC, were 1-3 on the road last season. The Bears (8-5 in 2024), who tied for fifth in the Big 12 at 6-3, were 5-1 on their home field a year ago.Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas. Baylor owns a 2-1-1 all-time record against Auburn. The Tigers are 1-point favorites in the latest Auburn vs. Baylor odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 57.5, up a point from the opener. Before […]
Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica’s College Football Study Guide: A Historic Week 1 Slate
<!--> [--> Chris Fallica FOX Sports Wagering Expert <!--> --> I'm not sure if there's been a better opening weekend of college football than the one that we're about to see.Week 1 is here, headlined by an electric matchup between No. 1 Texas and No. 3. Ohio State at noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app.The matchup between these two juggernauts will be the first instance of the defending national champion opening the season against the No. 1-ranked team since 1988, and just the fourth time ever that's happened. In the previous three instances, my Miami Hurricanes took down No. 1 Florida State (1988) and No. 1 Penn State (1984). The Longhorns-Buckeyes tilt isn't the only banger of a game this weekend, as we have two other ranked matchups — No. 10 Miami hosts No. 6 Notre Dame and No. […]
Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Visit Seattle With the Leagues Cup Trophy On the Line
<!--> [--> Doug McIntyre Soccer Journalist <!--> --> For the fourth time in the 25 months since Lionel Messi arrived in South Florida and donned the pink No. 10 shirt for MLS glamor club Inter Miami, there’s a title at stake for the GOAT.On Sunday night in Seattle, Messi and his Herons will try to recapture the Leagues Cup crown they won ahead of every first division club in the United States, Canada and Mexico a mere seven games into his new stateside adventure.Messi then led Miami to the 2023 U.S. Open Cup final, which they lost to the Houston Dynamo.Last season, Inter ran away with the MLS Supporter’s Shield awarded to the regular season champion, setting a single-season record for points.There have been failures over the last two years, sure. Concacaf Champions Cup elimination to Liga LX titan Monterrey […]
Greg Jennings predicts his Packers to win Super Bowl LIX over Bills, Patrick Mahomes as MVP | First Things First
first things first Video Details Greg Jennings unveils his Super Bowl LX predictions with his Green Bay Packers beating the Buffalo Bills and Patrick Mahomes winning regular season MVP. 43 MINS AGO・first things first・4:05
Related
Christian Pulisic Scores for AC Milan, Enters U.S. Men’s Team Duty On High Note
Christian Pulisic will be returning to the U.S. men's national team in relatively solid form. The USMNT star, who hasn't appeared for the squad since March, scored his first goal of the Italian Serie A season in AC Milan's 2-0 win on Friday over Lecce. Pulisic, along with his former Chelsea teammate Ruben Loftus-Cheek, secured the victory for AC Milan's first league win of the season. Actress Helen Mirren donned a yellow Lecce shirt and watched from the stands, but there was little to excite the home fans or the Oscar-winning star of "The Queen."Milan had two goals chalked off after a video review, but they eventually got one that counted midway through the second half when Loftus-Cheek rose higher than everyone else to glance home a flighted free kick. The win was a relief for Milan, which started the season with a […]
Fantasy football half-PPR mock draft recap for August 29: If you want a quality RB, you’ll have to strike fast
USATSI This 12-team, half-PPR mock draft is our final one prior to Labor Day weekend. We also have an amazing PPR mock draft that we did this week as well. Read them. Study them. Use them to your advantage. Most Fantasy drafts will take place this weekend and into early next week. If you've been following our mocks throughout training camp, then you're ready. You know what strategy you like. You know what players you want to target -- and the ones to avoid. You're ready. If you do need additional help, you have our rankings and tiers. You have our sleepers, breakouts, and busts. You have our podcasts. We're here for you, and we'll continue to be here for you throughout the season. So have fun with your draft. It's going to be awesome. As a reference point for […]
Auburn vs. Baylor prediction, odds, time: 2025 Week 1 college football picks by expert on 64-43 roll
Programs looking to get back to prominence battle when the Auburn Tigers take on the Baylor Bears in a key Week 1 college football matchup on Friday night. Auburn has eight consecutive opening-game wins, while Baylor is 5-1 in openers under coach Dave Aranda. The Tigers (5-7 in 2024), who finished tied for 13th with Oklahoma at 2-6 in the SEC, were 1-3 on the road last season. The Bears (8-5 in 2024), who tied for fifth in the Big 12 at 6-3, were 5-1 on their home field a year ago.Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas. Baylor owns a 2-1-1 all-time record against Auburn. The Tigers are 1-point favorites in the latest Auburn vs. Baylor odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 57.5, up a point from the opener. Before […]
Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica’s College Football Study Guide: A Historic Week 1 Slate
<!--> [--> Chris Fallica FOX Sports Wagering Expert <!--> --> I'm not sure if there's been a better opening weekend of college football than the one that we're about to see.Week 1 is here, headlined by an electric matchup between No. 1 Texas and No. 3. Ohio State at noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app.The matchup between these two juggernauts will be the first instance of the defending national champion opening the season against the No. 1-ranked team since 1988, and just the fourth time ever that's happened. In the previous three instances, my Miami Hurricanes took down No. 1 Florida State (1988) and No. 1 Penn State (1984). The Longhorns-Buckeyes tilt isn't the only banger of a game this weekend, as we have two other ranked matchups — No. 10 Miami hosts No. 6 Notre Dame and No. […]
Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Visit Seattle With the Leagues Cup Trophy On the Line
<!--> [--> Doug McIntyre Soccer Journalist <!--> --> For the fourth time in the 25 months since Lionel Messi arrived in South Florida and donned the pink No. 10 shirt for MLS glamor club Inter Miami, there’s a title at stake for the GOAT.On Sunday night in Seattle, Messi and his Herons will try to recapture the Leagues Cup crown they won ahead of every first division club in the United States, Canada and Mexico a mere seven games into his new stateside adventure.Messi then led Miami to the 2023 U.S. Open Cup final, which they lost to the Houston Dynamo.Last season, Inter ran away with the MLS Supporter’s Shield awarded to the regular season champion, setting a single-season record for points.There have been failures over the last two years, sure. Concacaf Champions Cup elimination to Liga LX titan Monterrey […]
Greg Jennings predicts his Packers to win Super Bowl LIX over Bills, Patrick Mahomes as MVP | First Things First
first things first Video Details Greg Jennings unveils his Super Bowl LX predictions with his Green Bay Packers beating the Buffalo Bills and Patrick Mahomes winning regular season MVP. 43 MINS AGO・first things first・4:05
Be the first to leave a comment