WNBA: OCT 06 Playoffs Semifinals Minnesota Lynx at Connecticut Sun - Source: Getty — DiJonai Carrington slams pay disparity narrative between WNBA and NCAA stars (Image source: Getty)

"It’s just no longer called NIL money" - DiJonai Carrington slams pay disparity narrative between WNBA and NCAA stars

Modified Apr 02, 2025 01:47 GMT

Dallas Wings guard DiJonai Carrington shared her thoughts on the pay disparity conversations in the WNBA, touching on name, image and likeness (NIL) deals.

On Tuesday, the 2024 WNBA Most Improved Player tweeted that the narrative pitting the college earning against professional earnings is too much. She said that players can still earn the same amount professionally through endorsements.

"This $$$ narrative with the W vs. NCAA is sooooooo tired. YES(!!!) we should (and WILL) get paid much higher salaries BUT you can still make that same $$, it’s just no longer called NIL money … it’s called endorsements. Sent with love," Carrington wrote.

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Carrington's comments seem to target the notion that college players will earn more through NIL deals rather than turning professional. WNBA salaries and benefits have been modest, forcing players, even stars, to push for endorsement deals and appearances in other leagues.

Carrington's remarks also come amid the ongoing CBA negotiations between the league and the Women's National Basketball Player's Association (WNBPA). The WNBPA opted out of the current CBA, set to expire in 2027, to accelerate negotiations.

One of the player association's reported demands is restructuring the current pay to increase the value going to players.

DiJonai Carrington and Angel Reese deliver bold remarks amid CBA negotiations

DiJonai Carrington appeared in a March 8 episode of Chicago Sky star Angel Reese's "Unapologetically Angel," in which the stars bodly stated that a strike in the WNBA is possible if the demands are not met.

Carrington and Reese agreed that WNBA players deserve to earn more.

"The ones that a year after, they going to get more," Reese said. "They probably be making more than us. I'm hurt. I got to get in the meetings because I'm hearing like, If y’all don’t give us what we want, we sitting out."

"Yeah, that’s a possibility, for real," Carrington responded.

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According to Spotrac, DiJonai Carrington is on a one-year deal worth $200,000. Meanwhile, Reese is on a rookie-scale four-year, $324,383 contract and will earn $74,909 in the 2025 season.

The upcoming season begins on May 16. It remains to be seen if the league and the WNBPA can reach an agreement before the existing CBA expires at the end of the 2025 season.

About the author

Kim is an editor for US Sports and an NBA and WNBA analyst at Sportskeeda with a decade of multi-industry experience. He has a bachelor's degree in finance and is currently a candidate for a master's degree in business administration.

Writing has been Kim's passion, and during college, he was editor-in-chief. He has also accumulated a diverse entrepreneurial background. He possesses a knack for research and was recently a professor.

Kim has been a Boston Celtics fan since 2007, through its many ups and downs. He was delighted when the Cs raised its 18th banner in 2024.

Beyond basketball, he also enjoys following the NFL, MLB, and F1. When not immersed in the world of sports and when he is not editing or writing, Kim is likely searching for the perfect cup of joe.

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