In a world where speculations and rumors rule the narrative, fake news dictate. This week, the WNBA community was victim of a viral claim regarding one of its most important player: Angel Reese, the Chicago Sky player and league superstar, was reportedly walking away from professional basketball because her salary was too low.
The rumor, firstly seen on an X post, garnered nearly a million views, alleging that Reese announced she would sit out the 2026 season until she was paid a bigger salary than her $74,909 annual contract.
So, is she really quitting?
Short answer: no. While the post claimed that Reese was making a guaranteed exit, others reports, like the one by EssentiallySports has been confirmed the case as completely false.
Do not forget that Angel Reese is currently under a rookie contract with the Chicago Sky that runs through the 2026 season. Far from leaving, Reese has been actively preparing for the upcoming year, which she sees with great excitement.
Just this December, she participated in a USA Basketball training camp, and this February she officially announced her return to the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league for the offseason, excitedly telling fans, “Barbie Hoops are back!”
Regarding the rumors and the fake news, she cleared the noise during a recent media session where she said this to reporters:
“I’m under contract, so yes, I plan on returning to the Sky. I’m continuing to talk to Tyler Marsh and building that relationship
The real crisis is the March 10 deadline
While Reese is not stepping aside, the WNBA 2026 season itself is under a real threat. The league and the Players’ Union (WNBPA) are currently locked in a very important battle over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The league recently informed teams that if a deal is not reached by March 10, 2026, the season schedule will be impacted. The standoff boils down to one major issue: The revenue sharing.
The players are emboldened by the fact that they officially hit their revenue targets in 2025, triggering a historic $8 million payout to be split across the league. With 98% of players recently backing a strike authorization, the tension is high as a kite.
Reese famously went on record stating that her WNBA salary, roughly $75,000, does not even cover her monthly rent in Chicago, which she estimated at $8,000. For a superstar with massive NIL deals and endorsements from brands like Reebok and Hershey’s, the WNBA paycheck is a very little fraction of her total income.
She is not leaving, but if conditions do not improve soon… she might as well leave the WNBA behind as other leagues like Unrivaled offer an average salary of $220,000.
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