Photo: LOL Network
WNBA championKelsey Plumcontinues to speak out about, in her opinion, the league’s salary deficiencies in relation to players signing contracts overseas.
In a clip shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Plum, 28, appears on Tuesday’s episode of Kevin Hart’s LOL Network seriesCold As Ballsto talk about Brittney Griner and playing overseas, among other topics.
“During the off-season, there’s the world of going overseas, and it’s because of the money that’s being made in the WNBA,” says Hart, 43. “Do you see that gap being closed?”
Plum says it’s “that middle section” of players in the league who “really suffer” during the WNBA off-season. “Because the league is saying, after this season, you can’t go overseas.”
However, according to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, players are not discouraged from playing overseas during the off-season. Plum is likely referring to the CBA agreement that requires players to return to their WNBA team’s city in time to start the season. Often, seasons overlap and players may miss games to finish out their overseas seasons.
Kelsey Plum.Steve Christo - Corbis/Corbis via Getty
Engelbert said she’s “been a big advocate for letting the players do what they want to do with their off-season,” during a press conference on Dec. 8 followingBrittney Griner’s releasefrom Russia.
The commissioner explained that the league’s requirement for players to return is in the league’s best interest. “For the veterans, we want them to come back and be with the team and build the chemistry needed for a championship culture. That’s something the owners really stepped up, and it was really important to them, and I support them wholeheartedly in that,” Engelbert said.
2022 WNBA All-Star MVP Kelsey Plum in Chicago.Stacy Revere/Getty
Engelbert has put a strong emphasis on “improving the player experience and compensation has been a main priority for the league since” she took on the role of commissioner in 2019. “I understand why they want to play wherever overseas, here in the U.S. But I think the more opportunities we can give them at home the better we’ll all be,” Engelbert continued.
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Plum, who is undoubtedly one of the league’s top players, says she hasn’t made a decision about whether she’ll return to play in other countries. “I’ve been overseas, I played three years in Turkey, but for me right now, in terms of my career, I don’t know if I’ll go over again,” she tells Hart in the clip.
LOL Network
In July, Plum opened up further on the topicin an exclusive interviewwith PEOPLE. “With our league, a lot of times, I think as a woman, people feel like they’re doing you a favor if they’re supporting you or watching you…and I don’t think it’s intentional,” she said.
“I don’t want people’s pity,” she continued. “I want you to come watch me play because I’m damn good at what I do, man or woman.”
Plum elaborated: “It’s so interesting; when you go watchLeBron Jamesplay, you don’t say, ‘I’m supporting LeBron.’ You say, ‘I’m going to go watch LeBron play basketball.’ Right?”
source: people.com
