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Diana Taurasi isn’t holding back on the financial sacrifices she’s made throughout her WNBA career, as she claims that arena janitors made more than the players in the league at the time.
In her new Prime Video three-part docuseries Taurasi, the 43-year-old opened up about the harsh economic realities faced by WNBA players—despite their elite talent and global stature.
“I’m the best player in the world, and I have to go to a communist country to get paid like a capitalist,” Taurasi said, referencing her multiple off-season stints playing overseas in Russia for far more lucrative paydays than what the WNBA offered.
Diana Taurasi of Team United States speaks during a Team USA Women’s 5×5 Basketball press conference on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at the Main Press Centre on July 27, 2024 in Paris, France.
Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
“One time I came back, and I was like, ‘Man, my parents have just gotten older, and I’ve missed a big part of it. We weren’t making that much money. So, generational wealth was coming from going to Russia every year.’”
Taurasi went on to slam the inferior conditions and lower pay of the WNBA, despite competing in what she called “a harder league.”
She didn’t mince words: “Now we have to come back home, and get paid nothing to play in a harder league, in worse conditions against the best competition in the world. The f**king janitor at the arena made more than me.”
Diana Taurasi of The United States during the 2024 USA Basketball Showcase match between USA Women and Germany Women at The O2 Arena on July 23, 2024 in London, England.
Paul Harding/Getty Images
Her comments come amid ongoing collective bargaining negotiations between WNBA players and the league, as players continue to demand fairer compensation and improved working conditions.
Last month, players sent a clear message during the WNBA All-Star Game by wearing black shirts emblazoned with the words “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”
Despite the inequities, Taurasi’s legacy remains unmatched. Widely regarded as one of the greatest women to ever play the game, the WNBA all-time leading scorer’s resume includes three WNBA championships, 10 All-Star selections and five Olympic gold medals.
Watch a clip from Diana Taurasi’s Taurasi docuseries below.
