LeBron James has been a WNBA fan boy ever since 2010. Despite fans coming at him for capitalizing on the league’s newfound success, not many know he has been rooting for the women from their dark days. “I think best of 3 game series isn’t enough games for WNBA playoffs. Best out of 5, I say.” James wrote back in 2010. And you can’t be a WNBA follower without being a fan of Diana Taurasi’s game.
After Taurasi became the first WNBA player to reach 9,000 career points, LeBron wrote, “Of course she did!! status. Congrats friend! @DianaTaurasi”. For someone with that stature in the women’s game, she was still paid peanuts as compared to Lebron and Co. The WNBA legend voiced her WNBA pay, or lack thereof, during her time in the league.
Taurasi said in a short clip from her Docuseries on Prime, “I’m the best player in the world, and I have to go to a communist country to get paid like a capitalist… the f*cking janitor in the arena made more than me.” It was a call out to put pressure on the WNBA to speed up the ongoing CBA negotiations after a huge boom in business in the last couple of years. The 12 teams in the 2024 WNBA season shattered records by raking in $76 million from sponsorships, backing up the players’ calls for bigger paychecks more than ever.
Even after the backlash from that statement, King James was quick to show support along with a host of others. The Lakers star reposted a story from the legend, which had the poster of “Taurasi,” which has the tagline of “Only Legends Change The Game.” It was not only James, as Chris Paul was quick to follow as he posted the emoji, meaning he wished Taurasi and the team luck for the series.
Dwyane Wade, NBA legend and Chicago Sky minority owner, reposted the same poster and wrote, “Can’t wait. White Mamba ” Even Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson wrote, “Can’t wait to Tune in!” It’s an understatement to say that Taurasi and her upcoming series have support from the NBA. With legends rooting for the legend, it will make sure that her story is heard across the world.
(This is a developing story…)
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