Angel Reese’s indirect jab at WNBA commissioner exposes stark disparity between dream job and seven-figure side hustles

Angel Reese got into it with a fan on X and indirectly took a shot at WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert while mentioning the league’s pay. On Thursday, Reese shared multiple pictures on X, showing her enjoying her time during the offseason.

While most fans showed love under the post, X user @Undercat_NFL criticized Reese for the pictures. The fan suggested that the Chicago Sky forward should pick between being an “IG model or a WNBA player." Reese kept her reply simple, highlighting the gap in pay between the jobs.

“Well, no. I’ll never pick because my dream job doesn’t pay me enough, while my side job pays me 7 figures. anywayyy…..go check out my new episode😘,” Reese wrote.

Despite being one of the highest-rated players in her draft class, Reese’s rookie contract is a four-year, $324,383 deal, which earns her an average salary of $81,096 per season. The pay pales in comparison to what athletes make in the NBA and the NFL.

Back in November 2024, Angel Reese made a guest appearance at ComplexCon in Las Vegas. During a conversation with panelist Speedy Morman, the Sky star alleged that estimates placing her net worth at $2 million were “way off.”

She had also previously shared on social media that her WNBA salary didn’t cover her rent, which was close to $8,000 per month. Evidently, Reese couldn’t have amassed such wealth through her WNBA salary, highlighting how brand endorsements and sponsorships are crucial for women's basketball players.

Angel Reese is set to make her Hollywood debut next to Idris Elba

Angel Reese is featured in a surprise cameo in Kathryn Bigelow’s thriller, A House of Dynamite, a Netflix movie that premiered on Tuesday. Reese recounted her first experience working in movies on Thursday's episode of her “Unapologetically Angel” podcast.

“I am in my first movie with Idris Elba. Thank you. I actually went to the premiere on Sunday, I’m really excited,” she said. “My little part, acting part in there was really cool. I really do want to get into acting during my career, [and] then also after my career.”

From her words, it seems clear that this is just the beginning of Reese’s foray into Hollywood. For now, the Sky star has more pressing matters to look over as fans speculate she faces an uncertain future with the Chicago Sky. Reese played 30 games for the team, averaging 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds this season.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan