“It was a very powerful moment” – Kelsey Plum explained why the WNBA All-Stars decided to wear “Pay us what you owe us” shirts during warmups

L.A. Sparks guard Kelsey Plum said that the “Pay us what you owe us” shirt that the All-Stars wore in the warmups was a powerful statement made by the players.

Saturday’s 2025 WNBA All-Star game saw all All-Star players make a strong statement amidst the league’s ongoing CBA negotiations. The All-Stars entered the court wearing black t-shirts printed with the words “Pay us what you owe us” during their warmups, making it known to the world what their priority is in the labor discussions.

During the postgame press conference, Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum explained how the players came up with that idea.

“It was a very powerful moment,” said Plum. “As players, we didn’t know that that was going to happen. It was a genuine surprise, but the t-shirt, the united front was determined this morning, that we had a meeting for it. Not to tattletale: 0 members of Team Clark were very present for that…But all of us were on the same page for the game. We wanted to do something that was united and collective. And I felt that it’s a very powerful moment to get our point across, and sometimes you don’t have to say anything.”

The players want a raise

WNBA players have long advocated for higher salaries. Currently, the smallest rookie scale contract in the league is $285,136 for four years, or an average of $71,284 per year. Meanwhile, the Super Max is valued at $249,244, and the regular max is $214,466 for the 2025-26 campaign, with all numbers paling compared to their counterparts in the NBA.

Also, WNBA players are entitled to receive 25% of the league’s profits, provided the WNBA hits its cumulative revenue target for the season under the current CBA. On the other hand, NBA players receive a 50-50 split from their league.

While Plum joked that none of Team Clark was at the meeting where they decided to wear the shirt, Caitlin made it clear that she was with the rest of the league in wanting higher salaries, although she admitted that for some, endorsement deals help their finances.

“Honestly, I feel like that’s where we’re really fortunate is that we have those other deals. And I think that’s one of the things we’re in the room fighting for. Like Phee said, we should be paid more, and hopefully that’s the case moving forward as the league continues to grow. That’s probably the most important thing that we’re in the room advocating for,” Clark said.

The WNBA hasn’t been an income-generating league

However, the problem with the players asking for a raise is that the NBA has been operating at an average loss of more than $10 million since its inception. Last year, the league had an estimated deficit of $40 million, although it was better than the projected $50 million loss before the start of the season. That led popular streamer Adin Ross to call out the All-Stars for wearing the shirt.

“Are they saying that they are underpaid? Unless you’re Caitlin Clark, you shouldn’t ever be able to put on a shirt that says “Pay us what you owe us.” Listen, I ll explain it, ladies. And I have nothing against girls. But guys, let’s be real here. Your league makes no fu—ng revenue. It’s probably a write-off for the NBA. I’m just being real here,” he said.

A user on “X” also jokingly pointed out that the shirt should have been “They need to pay what they owe” because if the league is at a net loss of $50 million this year, then each of the league’s 153 players should have a share of $326,797 in the total loss.

It’s easy to understand where the players are coming from. This has been a long-standing issue for the WNBA. However, unless their bottom-line figures start to turn positive, it’s going to be difficult to justify that. Hopefully, the arrival of Clark and other new stars like Angel Reese will help turn things around.