"Trying to create a sense of entitlement": Jason Whitlock considers $75,000 an overpay for WNBA athletes, slams popular opinion

By Sean Cavanaugh

Modified Apr 17, 2024 17:08 GMT

Many in the sports media landscape have taken shots at the WNBA through the years. Many take swings at the low hanging fruit in their analysis. Jason Whitlock just jumped into the fray and offered his opinion on the league and its pay structure. Many have been debating the salaries of players in the WNBA.

Whitlock is known for his controversial takes. He often gives takes that many find disagreeable. He did the same again on his comments on the league and women in general.

Whitlock criticized those calling for higher salaries of WNBA players. The movement has grown after Caitlin Clark’s rookie salary of $76,535 went viral after she was drafted No. 1 overall. Whitlock said women basketball players did not deserve more money but actually less.

“In 30 years of history, the WNBA has never once turned a profit. What business overpays, I mean, they are already overpaid at 75,000 per year,” Whitlock said. “What they are trying to create is a sense of entitlement in these women. Oh you are owed something or mistreated.”

Whitlock also called those asking for more money from the league entitled and angry. He was critical of those who fight for pay equality in women’s sports.

“You should be just like Megan Rapinoe, you should be like all of the angry feminists that have dominated the WNBA and led it to 30 years of no profit and irrelevance. You need to copy their behavior,” Whitlock said.

Whitlock called the cries that female players are underpaid “lies”. He also said women are not discriminated against.

“We have not been unfair to women. You do not have to believe every lie told over Twitter,” Whitlock said.

WNBA sets viewership record for draft

Despite Jason Whitlock’s claims that the women's league is irrelevant, the league continues to be the talk of the sports media landscape. The WNBA Draft set a viewership record with 2.4 million viewers on ESPN.

Viewership peaked at 3 million. The audience grew four times from last year’s draft, which had 572,000 viewers.

The draft had higher viewership than any league game since 2000. A game in 2000 between the New York Liberty and the Houston Comets drew 2.74 million viewers.

Caitlin Clark led a loaded rookie class for the 2024 draft class. The superstar was a big reason for the bump in audience. However, other stars like LSU’s Angel Reese and Stanford’s Cameron Brink were also big names that drew eyeballs to the show.

The league will hope that viewership continues to grow when the season begins on May 14. The season begins with Clark’s Indiana Fever taking on the Connecticut Sun. The Las Vegas Aces will be the favorites to win their third straight title.