This video got more views than the WNBA

"I play in Kursk, this is just a small rural town" It's got a population of 451,000 people. It's a city.

"career with no offseason" That sounds an awful lot like 99% of regular jobs in the world...

You can thank Griner for the wage differential when she blew those three practice dunks on tv.

WNBA attendance was 1,574,078 in 2016-2017. On average, WNBA players make $71,635 while the maximum salary caps at $115,500 for veterans who've been in the league for at least six years. The attendance in the G League was 1,616,656 in 2017-2018. G League salaries are only now UP TO $35,000/year. The women are being paid much better than their male counterparts with comparable attendances with their respective leagues. The WNBA is comparable to the G League, not the NBA.

"Do I play for pride and joy here where I was born, or do I go overseas and get this money?" You mean the same decision every European kid had to make when thinking about playing in the NBA?

"You have to really work for your money." Funny how that...ahem...works, isn't it?

I love how she acts like its some mysterious thing how the pay is different

Women don't even watch the WNBA

I'm a hypocrite. I want more people to watch the WNBA but I can't bring myself to watch it. I need to see dunks and Steph Curry status 3's.

I barely make 75k a year as an ER nurse, working on the floor 12 hours a shift, saving lives, and putting my life in danger. Shut up and enjoy your 100k

So much complaining jeeeez you chose to play ball

they don't make as much bc they don't sell as much...that's it...nothing else.

$110K a year to play like 40 games in a failing league. i'm sorry, I don't feel sorry.

Man, the whole damn video she complained about playing ball for a living and experiencing another country’s culture. She’s doing what she loves for a living and traveling. Not many people get to do that

Considering that Vice not long ago got into hot water for not paying employees, they sure got balls reporting on stuff like this

Melo low key supporting WNBA by producing this. Good person.

the reason the old lady gets pass everybody in the line is because in Russia they often let older people (above 60years), war veterans etc a priority in some shops , but in this particular situation she's obviously a lit bit out of her mind and no one messes with her cause she'll scream & yell af

Who's ever heard one of their friends say, "change the channel there's a game on," and they flip it to the WNBA?

"I got up 200 shots today, and for what?"... Maybe that's why no one watches women's basketball. The elite in the NBA get up 500+ shots a day.

lower the rims, If I see women dunking on each other, I'd start watching

I wonder why WNBA doesn't locate teams in smaller towns. A lot of Euroleague-level women's teams around Europe are located in towns with 200-500k population and no major mens sports franchises. Much easier to get local press exposure, loyal fans and strong relations with municipal government when you're the biggest fish in a small pond.

"200 shots and what?..." - practice, you fool! To shoot better.

"We want to be paid like the men." "Okay, so you want to upgrade to the larger ball, play longer quarters, play more than twice as many games, bring in the same number of ticket sales, receive the same viewer numbers, and compete at the same talent level?" "Well no, not that...We just want more money because we play the same game." "You play the same game like an Applebee's cook is the same as Gordon Ramsey."

" whats the point of practicing all these jumpshots".... * proceeds to miss last second jump shot to win the game *

The WNBA should overlap the NBA season. They should play their games before the NBA games. I would go to a WNBA/NBA double header... but typically I'm not parking downtown for just a WNBA game.

for whatever reason WNBA players don´t even move like athletes, it looks slow as hell. I rather watch woman's track and field.

I was a 90s kids and around 4th/5th grade when the WNBA started. I loved it, wanted to be in the WNBA, my parents took me to games. Then the momentum died. We lost our home team and no one really cared. I hope to see the day women sports have respect.

Why do they play on the WNBA on the first place? I admire Taurasi for taking a year off the WNBA so she could rest and play well in Russia where she makes real $$.

I'm sorry but when she was complaining about practice two times a day, like have u ever heard of kobe's workout

With that attitude towards perfecting her game, no wonder she is not making millions lol I guess curry aint complaining about shootingtraining

If she would’ve just made that shot tho

Honestly I couldn’t name a single WNBA player or team

Wnba revenue 25 million nba 7.4 billion....no duh

8 seasons in Russia and she doesnt speak even basic Russian?

The problem is the hoop....I'm telling you people, imagine if they played on 7ft hoops and could dunk on each other and posterize each other. It would be entertaining!!! Watching the WNBA is like watching a really good elementary school team :( it's boring....

200 shots? kobe used to leave after making 1000 shots

Imagine working 6 months a year in America and getting at least $72,000 to play a kids game and you're telling everybody you're not making a decent wage smh

wnba doesn't pay the players because they dont generate enough entertainment. How is the wnba marketing their teams to the masses??

Here is a question then... why is no one fighting for the poor CFL players who make less on average then WNBA players as men playing professional football? Because the CFL doesn't generate as much money as the NFL is the answer. It has nothing to do with equality. The reason women get paid more in Russia has nothing to do with the way they get paid in the States. Straw man argument at its finest. Name 5 Russian born players in the NBA? Now if you can name 2 starting Russian born players in the NBA? Russia is a not a huge basketball country same with China yet has huge populations. Unlike the U.S. however both of these countries don't produce a competitive men's or women's basketball product on their own. Thus they pay a premium for foreign players. She says right off the bat that she can't play for that kind of money in countries like Turkey. No mention of other basketball countries in Europe that wont pay like Russia (like Spain, Croatia, Serbia, or France). Because those other markets produce top level talent on the mens side as well as just being much bigger basketball focused countries. Her reasoning is because its cold in Russia? There are beaches in all countries nice places to go everywhere. The fact is its solely due to the lack of domestic competition the women get paid better there. In NA there are a much wider array of talented basketball to watch before you get to the women's leagues. NBA, G League, NCAA, ice cubes 3 on 3 thing, hell even men's HS basketball. Unfortunately for the women they are ranked below all of those from a money making venture stand point. The WNBA Produces around 25 mil a season with most of that being subsidies from the NBA. Most of the Marketing for the WNBA has been done by the NBA. The NBA is heavily invested on the WNBA doing well yet people just don't care as much. Why? Well probably because the product lacks in what people want out of basketball. Like the CFL not capturing the American fan base 20 years ago. Its a good product but it needs to be an excellent product to compete. Honestly super easy fix instead of complaining about how much more the top athletes make in the sport tell women to start coming to games and supporting the league. Then they will see their money. Until that happens the WNBA is just what the CFL is to the NFL.

Nothing is stopping these women from playing in the NBA. Just their skills

The only way to justify paying players a lot of money is if fans watch/spend money on the WNBA

Anyone else replay the buzzer beater to double check?

I don't fuck with the WNBA but that pissed me off that they don't pay the players, let alone the all star players enough that they have to play overseas

The problem with the WNBA lies on the fact they are trying to fill up Arenas built for NBA&NHL Audiences, women's basketball has not yet "reached" that quota, The cost of keeping those facilities going takes a hug chunk profit margins, on top of the fact that their merchandise sales are complete trash, Along with their advertisement

I am always surprised that there is not some NCAA All American type who bypasses the WNBA completely to focus on their career in Europe.

i remember reading about her in slam magazine when she was in high school, nice to see she is still balling.

If Damian Lillard talked about Portland the way Seimone talks about Kursk, he'd be out of a job. Except... he talks adoringly about the City of Roses, despite the ceaseless rain during the basketball season. And he refers to the Blazers as a team that he can't imagine leaving. He is our hero. Yet, on national T.V., Simone's crossing off days like Kursk is Shawshank.

You gotta respect the hustle of these women as well as the fans that show love

They have a level ungratefulness to them. Like I'd be so happy to be in Russia if that's where I get love from

Well sorry to say this but I prefer watching female volleyball 😂.

All the WNBA needs to do is change their marketing to focus on young girls. The WNBA is the only female professional team sport that gets some national TV time. So why doesn't every little girl 4-18 want to grow up and play basketball? They decided to take the LGBTQ route which will discourage heterosexual couples with little girls. And regardless of what the media will tell you, little aren't thinking about their sexuality, so they can't relate to the product that the WNBA puts out. Plus from an entertainment standpoint they need to shorten their court to the college size. Shorter court equals more points. More points mean more opportunities for exciting plays. Also how is the WNBA missing out of the social media real estate? Instagram was basically made for 13 year old girls. All their numbers were up last year so that's a plus but so far this season it's been pretty underwhelming for me at least. But hopefully they get somebody in their league front office who is closer to younger demographic and understands new media

Good video, never would have known WNBA players have to play overseas

40k a year to play ball is pretty good actually

I appreciate that they have a professional league in the U.S. for these women, and always supported women's college hoops wherever I've lived. However, to all those in all these threads writing about how these ladies "deserve" to make more in the WBNA, I have this question: If you delivered a product that the public has determined is unappealing to the point where revenues would never cover expenses if it weren't for yearly subsidies, how much do you believe you would "deserve" to get paid?

been there 8 years and haven't learned much of the language?

She out there complaining about 200 shots during a day of practice when thats the amount Kobe or Steph would put in before practice starts. I thought a lot of the difference between the NBA vs WNBA was genetic, didn’t know it is also work ethic.

They act like they are some sort of victims.... when in reality they put themselves in this position, knowingly...... They dont even make an effort to learn the culture or language where as a lot of other American basketball players in Russia do. they seem ungreatful

Kobe would throw up at her 200 shots comment

How they lose the game is a perfect visualization of the whole argument. She misses the game-winning shot (maybe if she'd done more shooting practice the shot would've gone in) and then she blames the referee for being bribed. It's never their performance that needs to improve it's always somebody else's fault.

Did she say 40,000? Most engineers make 20% more than that right out of college!

she is cool.

I’ve never heard someone complain about getting up 200 shots a day.

In Suge Knight voice. “Carmelo all up in the video”

I don't feel bad for people who hold jobs that pay fair wages AND allows them to travel and experience unique cultures. These women are blessed!

"You coming back late...Yeah...if you look at it this our first job" lol I'm not mad at all get those coins honey!

One day I’ll own the league and fix it up, the WNBA is currently worth 60 million but hopefully I can change that up.

Most of these women would better off using their degrees to get a nice job and building some longevity over the course of their lifetime. Those salaries ain't worth the hassle.

7:37 Go and get that $$$ Semoine. Ain't no glory in the WNBA. IDK even know who won the chip last year. Not being funny

Dope video, and a great way to see the type of dedication athletes give. Its the same with female soccer players, they have to hustle big in Europe!

She really leads off with “only 40 thousand dollars” ........ in her rookie year....sympathy gone. You get paid to play a game at a high level. Sounds like a dream.

I grew up in Germany and learned how to play ball in Germany. It's something I'll never forget...right now I don' think these ladies quite understand their opportunity except for a better living which is nothing wrong with that but to be able to experience different cultures is invaluable and to do while playing your favorite sport...whew once in a life time for some. Appreciate it!

Her saying you cant force your lifestyles on other people is one of the best thing about this video for sure

40,000???? Girl, work overseas as civilian contractor....smh....🤔😥🙃

Lots of comments bashing her, but she was a top player in college and the WNBA with multiple rings. She's no slouch, and will be in the HOF. So even if she complains some, she has put in work in the league and can ball with the best of them.

She doesnt seem very appreciative of the opportunity she has to make good money playing ball.

She thinks that putting 200 shots is for nothing? Smh

You should do better research before you decide to go pro lol.

Now I understand why 'comments are disabled' in some KZfaq videos. People can really be mean...how do you compare this woman to Kobe or LeBron?

Gwumike and Augustus on the same team? How is that even fair? lol

I feel bad for the WNBA players having to go overseas but the revenue in the States just dont justify bigger wages!

Shoutout to Melo for this

6:08 I hear her, I'm a pilot and I only see my kids 1/3 of the year. But that's normal for any job where you're out of town. I don't regret it at all since I still have a loving wife and children that I love. I worked 10 years to get to this point and I'm only a few years from getting out of Regional Flying and getting to United Airlines. I'm 25 years old flying airplanes for a living trying to support my family. She should get used to it if she wants to "make that money".

Wow, I didn't know the WNBA pay was so bad that they play overseas, and make MORE money.

The WNBA players get trashed too much unnecessarily. They work just as hard but just aren’t physically as strong.

Am I the only one that sees that the ball went in after the bell. She needs to be careful of what she is saying about how they do things while she is over there for her own safety

I see a lot of complaining... thats about it

Small rural Town? Kursk has 415000 inhabitants? This woman trippin.

Well produced segment. Very interesting.

Kursk was the site of the largest tank battle in history

Oh poor them only 110000 a year how do they survive?

Nice documentary

Good piece! I enjoyed it!

Can you do one video on the WTA and ATP .........

the wnba would be more popular if their was sports gambling involved

You know, there was a time when NBA players also had to take seconds jobs. Do you know what they did about it? They worked hard to make their sport more popular so it would bring in more money and they wouldn't need second jobs anymore. The WNBA should follow that example.

Hey there Augustus ... I'm late but I hope you read this. I can remember you tagging alongside your mom (she taught at Belaire High School in Baton Rouge) as a very little girl. I think you were maybe 8 or 9. My brother would walk you & a few other kids across the street to La Belle Aire elementary. You were "crafty" at bouncing the basketball even at that age. Not really surprised to see the success you've had over the course of your career. I guess I'm a "back seat fan". I'm extremely proud of your accomplishments. Take care of yourself :)!!

Did y'all see that dispensary at 4:46 lol.

Seimone from baton rouge,Louisiana..✊✊✊💯💯💯💯...home of da paper chasers💯

I say get rid of the wnba and just let them play overseas or they should just get a regular job after college. The wnba just does not seem worth it for that little pay.