PHOENIX — Allisha Gray’s smile couldn’t have been wider. In the crook of each arm rested a trophy. Her bank account is about to receive a major influx of money. The deposits totaling $115,150 represent 62 percent of her base salary of $185,000.
“I’m really excited about what I can do with this,” Gray said.
Gray became the first All-Star to double up and win both the skills and three-point shooting events at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Friday night. The 6-foot-1 guard for the Atlanta Dream beat Mercury local star Sophie Cunningham in the skills final and New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones by one point in the shooting event.
She is also the first to raise that much money during the first night of All-Star weekend festivities. The WNBA awards $2,575 to the winner of each competition, as stipulated in the 2020 collective bargaining agreement. For the first time, Aflac has committed to paying $55,000 to the winner of each competition, WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) President Nneka Ogwumike announced Thursday.
“This incredible contribution brings us closer to parity with our basketball brothers,” Ogwumike said in a statement.
It’s another example of the league’s growth this season, amid unprecedented viewership and attendance. Players have long been pushing for investment, with more national TV slots, sponsorships and gear. A record number of brands were activated at the league’s annual WNBA Live event, held this year at the Convention Center across the street from the arena. Merchandise booths were packed with gear — a hot spot at past events — and fans mingled in downtown Phoenix in the flashy All-Star jerseys of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
“What we felt inside is now what we felt outside, especially as far as investment,” Ogwumike, a nine-time All-Star with the Seattle Storm, said Friday. “I love that Aflac came in and really showed their investment. And I hope it’s set an example for so many other organizations and companies that are looking to invest and partner. I really hope that continues.”
Ogwumike said she wished the players had been aware of this beforehand when they made their decision to participate, but “nevertheless, they stepped up.”
The three-point contest was without WNBA and NBA three-point shooting record holder Sabrina Ionescu, who sat out as she focused on Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics. Caitlin Clark said she wanted to take a break and enjoy her first All-Star weekend.
Marina Mabrey, Kayla McBride and Stefanie Dolson completed the 3-point contest. Mabrey, Sophie Cunningham and Brittney Griner, the lone Olympian to compete Friday, competed in the skills competition, as did Kelsey Mitchell. The Fever veteran filled in for teammate Erica Wheeler — and even wore her jersey — when Wheeler, the 2019 All-Star MVP,
Gray was the last to finish in both competitions and appeared shocked when Jones’ final shot fell short of a three-pointer, earning her the win and the award. Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson, Gray’s former teammate at South Carolina, was energized on the sideline wearing Gray’s signature goggles and a digital camera in hand.
“I was warmed up from the skills challenge,” Gray said. “I ran all over the field, so I was able to relax and work my legs. I was a little tired from the skills challenge, but I was able to focus because I knew there was still 55 km to run.”
The WNBA’s maximum salaries, which the two sides agreed to ages ago, are a long time coming, given world events and growing interest in the league. Several players said Friday that salaries are one of the most important, if not the most important, things they want to see improved again with a new media deal and collective bargaining agreement.
“That’s the thing I’ve always talked about, player salaries,” said Diana Taurasi, a 20-year-old player. “How do we move this forward? How do we make sure our players don’t have to go overseas for 10 years. I know, I’ve had to do it.”
Players can opt out of the contract by November 1 of this year and have indicated they intend to do so. The media deal negotiated as part of the NBA package is reportedly worth $200 million per year and could provide an influx of cash to pay higher base salaries.
But it could be more, given the recent surge in interest. Hall of Famer and Mercury first female head coach Cheryl Miller said it’s “not nearly enough, not even close” to what it should be.
“A two is good. An eight would be even better,” Miller, the WNBA’s head coach, said at the All-Star Game. “That’s what I’m talking about. Because they know. They know. And we’ve definitely come a long way. I’m not trying to judge, but it’s been a long time since we’ve reached our goal and we’re going to continue to get better. Just look at college basketball and what’s coming next, the next wave. The next wave of excitement.”
Players can also sign marketing deals with the league and team to raise more money. Sponsorships are pouring in at a higher rate than ever before. Clark and Angel Reese, the sensational rookies who are in a Rookie of the Year competition and teammates on the WNBA team, are credited with attracting many new fans. Players like UConn’s Naismith Trophy winner Paige Bueckers and USC’s expected Naismith Trophy winner JuJu Watkins will bring in more.
As players like Ogwumike and even Gray rose to prominence, they faced increased resistance from entities that now wanted a piece of the WNBA pie.
“We grew up with people saying, ‘They should lower the basket, they should do this, you should wear skirts, you should wear tight shorts.’ You know what I mean?” Ogwumike said. “I’m just like, ‘We’re playing basketball, you know what I mean? I think the level of investment right now is transformative because there are more people watching. They’ve made the game accessible to everyone.”
Just two years ago in Chicago, the All-Star three-point shooting and skills competitions were held in a low-ceilinged convention center, with no ticketed spectators and in the Friday afternoon television window. In Phoenix, it was a veritable party with the 12 mascots, thousands of people packed into the arena and celebrities littering the sidelines.
There were no rookies in the competition. The veterans who pushed and grew took center stage and Gray emerged victorious, laden with trophies and tickets.
She will invest some of the money in business ventures. New golf clubs may emerge in the future. And of course, she said, she will take the team out to dinner on one condition.
“They just need to give me advance notice so I can prepare myself because I’m still a very cheap person,” Gray said. “They have a plan, I’ll just pay the bill.”
It’s becoming easier than ever for WNBA superstars to do just that.