After almost a decade of being in the shadows, the WNBA has finally broken free. Owing to Caitlin Clark’s impeccable rookie season, the WNBA dynamics have changed drastically. Unfortunately, while the league is pulling in revenue, it continues to pay the players peanuts. And this has evoked NSFW reactions from the likes of Jason Kelce’s wife, Kylie Kelce. Adding to the agony, WNBA legend Diana Taurasi recently revealed how Russian teams pamper female basketball stars.
Taurasi had been an icon in the WNBA. However, apart from displaying her impeccable hooping skills in America, she has also played in Russia. Recalling her experiences, Taurasi stated how she had once used her team owner’s credit card to make a lavish purchase.
Diana Taurasi Chimes In About Lavish Playing Conditions In Russia
The 43-year-old could not earn a decent living playing for the WNBA! And it is for this very reason that Taurasi went abroad to play in the Soviet Union. Surely, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. While she not only earned millions, the WNBA legend also had royal treatment.
Walking down memory lane, the 43-year-old stated how their team owner would arrange shopping sprees. What’s more shocking is that the owner would also let the players use his credit card! Speaking with ESPN, Taurasi described how they bought 25-30 luxury bags.
“And, you know, you get nervous, you have this adrenaline, where you’re like, ‘Should I get this Louis Vuitton bag that’s $3,000, which I would never buy? Yes, I will, and I’ll get two of them — one for me and one for Jessika Taurasi.’ We get in the car, and I mean, we have what, like, 25, 30 bags. I feel like we robbed a bank,” said Taurasi, as quoted by Basketball Network.
Diana Taurasi goes scorched earth on WNBA pay: ‘The f–king janitor made more than me’ https://t.co/vbFmpiUrFm pic.twitter.com/QHoeK3lKWt
— New York Post (@nypost) August 6, 2025
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Surely, such stories would sound like dreams for the current WNBA stars. At the moment, the players are demanding 50% of the league’s total revenue. And after the reported $325 million sale of the Connecticut Sun, the WNBA player pay debate has intensified further. Meanwhile, coming back to things happening differently in Russia, Candace Parker, too, had some interesting stories to share.
Candace Parker Doubles Down On Diana Taurasi As She Details Princess Treatment In Russia
Candace Parker donned the jersey of UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA off-season. And speaking on her podcast, the Tennessee alum shared a detailed account on how things were drastically different from those in the USA.
“In Russia, we had chefs. We had amazing apartments. We had drivers. We flew charter. We traveled around Europe as the No.1 team and were compensated as such. My black diamonds are from Russia. They were given to me as a birthday gift. My daughter got black diamonds, I got a Rolex watch,” Parker said.
Thus, as the stories circulate, they are only fueling stronger equal pay demands. And while the CBA negotiations will continue, fans are eagerly waiting to see what happens next.