
Seattle Storm player Gabby Williams has announced her decision to leave the WNBA, citing low pay in the league and using rookie star Caitlin Clark as an example to highlight the financial disparities. The 28-year-old forward, who recently played her final season with the Storm, is moving to play for Fenerbahçe S.K. in Turkey, stating that international basketball offers far better financial opportunities than the WNBA.
Williams pointed out that while the WNBA claims players can earn “up to” $700,000 annually, no player, including Clark, reaches that amount in salary alone. According to Williams, the actual base salary for Clark, a highly touted rookie, is only around $70,000, with additional earnings coming from endorsements and product deals. Williams shared her frustrations with the league, claiming that it fell short of delivering on promises of lucrative marketing deals when she was drafted by the Chicago Sky in 2018.
“We were promised team marketing agreements and league marketing agreements, but they’ve fallen quite short,” Williams said, adding that the limited financial incentives are a significant factor for international players choosing to leave the U.S. to play abroad. “If I make a choice to make more money, whatever, and then teams are mad that I don’t come back, but that’s how it is,” she added.
Williams addressed critics on social media who told her to leave the country if she was unhappy with America, responding, “I did,” as she prepares to play for a top team in Istanbul.
A former standout at the University of Connecticut, Williams was drafted into the WNBA in 2018 by the Chicago Sky. However, her commitment to playing for Team France at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics resulted in her being suspended by the Sky and eventually traded to the Los Angeles Sparks. She has since continued to play internationally, winning a silver medal for France in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
During her 2024 season with the Storm, Williams averaged 10.3 points, four rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Despite her talent, she expressed frustration with the limited earning potential in the WNBA compared to international leagues, ultimately deciding to continue her career overseas.