LeBron James has made his feelings clear on closing WNBA pay gap after Angel Reese claims she can’t pay bills

The LA Lakers star has strong opinions on closing the pay gap between the NBA and WNBA

LeBron James has already made his feelings clear on closing the WNBA pay gap after Angel Reese claimed she is struggling to pay bills on her current salary.

The huge wage difference between men’s and women’s basketball stars hit the headlines again at the weekend.

During the WNBA All-Star game warm-ups, players including Reese wore all-black t-shirts with the message ‘pay us what you owe us’.

Players and the union remain stuck in negotiations over a new pay agreement.

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Reese previously revealed in an Instagram live stream that her $73,000 salary did not cover her $96,000 annual rent.

She said that it was only through endorsements and her spot in the Unrivalled three-on-three league that she could afford it.

Some of the biggest NBA stars, including James and Steph Curry, have been vocal in support of addressing the divide.

WNBA protest (Image: Steph Chambers / Staff via Getty)

What has LeBron James said about equal pay?

Back in 2017, while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, James wore a pair of black shoes with the word ‘equality’ written in gold on the heel.

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It was his team’s opening game of the season and he made headlines pushing pushed for equality in all forms.

In 2022, WNBA star Brittney Griner spent the off-season playing basketball in Russia, where she earned four times more than she did in the USA.

Shortly after, James appeared on talk show The Shop where he gave his thoughts on Griner’s decision.

He said: “Unfortunately, some of them, they go over there and won’t come back.

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“They’re like, ‘I miss everything that they have in America, but like, this pay raise over here, I’m not coming back over to this s***.'”

His support for women’s basketball has continued to grow in recent years.

In an interview to ESPN in 2024 he described stars like Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark as ‘icons’.

LeBron James (Image: David Berding / Contributor via Getty)

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“I don’t think there’s much difference between the men’s and women’s game when it comes to college basketball,” said the Los Angeles Lakers star.

To join the NBA, players must have either completed a year of college, or have turned 19 years old.

However, the WNBA requires players to turn 22 in the calendar year of the draft they wish to enter to be eligible.

Alternatively, players can enter the draft if they are no longer be eligible to play college basketball.

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The 40-year-old said: “You’re able to build a real iconic legacy at a program.

“And that’s what we all love about it. That’s what we all love. We love the girl’s game because of that moment you actually get to see those girls.”