Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum had to address some players’ behaviors following the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday.
During a post-game conference, Plum, who played on Napheesa Collier’s team, shared that before the game, members of Caitlin Clark’s team met to wear warm-up shirts displaying the message “Pay What You Owe Us.”
“It was such a powerful moment. Honestly, I didn’t expect it. It caught me by surprise,” Plum remarked about the fans chanting “Pay” as WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert spoke after the game.
“The t-shirt decision was made that morning. It was really significant, not just about the players but the entire narrative,” she said, referring to the Zero members of Team Clark.
Sabrina Ionescu from Team Clark seemed surprised sitting next to Plum during the press conference.
“It definitely needed to be brought up,” Ionescu joked while Plum laughed alongside her.
“I’m just trying to lighten the mood,” Plum noted, who also serves as the Vice President of the WNBPA.
Ionescu appeared a bit taken aback by Plum’s remarks.
“We were all on the same page before the game, aiming for unity with this message. It was a significant start, and we thought it resonated well,” Ionescu added.
Unfortunately, Clark was in attendance but couldn’t participate in the game due to a groin injury.
Both teams warmed up with shirts highlighting “Pay What You Owe Us” amidst ongoing collective bargaining discussions.
This shirt choice came after the players and the league couldn’t reach a new collective bargaining agreement during their meeting on Thursday.
Concerns about equitable compensation have been voiced by players, with Collier mentioning, “We receive only a small fraction of the revenue generated by the WNBA, which is clearly derived from our efforts in entertainment. I believe we deserve a fair share of that.”
