When Are the La Sparks Playing Again
Liz Cambage, i of the WNBA's most outstanding players despite her relatively curt time in the league, has always led with her gut and spoken her mind. Then of course she had that aforementioned attitude when she was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times recently. Cambage moved to LA a few months ago after signing a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Sparks, and she'southward loving every minute of it. She'southward got the ocean, a new place in Bel Air and her family unit in Australia is closer.
But Cambage, 30, talked nearly so much more than being in LA. She spoke about being on a new team, the continuing compensation issue in the WNBA and why she'southward going to proceed to exist outspoken on whatsoever and every issue.
Pay disparities in the WNBA
Cambage has played in Cathay a lot, where she made many times her WNBA salary. So she'due south keenly aware of how much less she and every other player are making compared to what they could earn overseas. She's talked about WNBA pay disparities before, about recently in February when she tweeted about Becky Hammon being given a $ane one thousand thousand contract to be the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces. Cambage pointed out that Hammon makes as much as 4 times what the players brand. She was criticized for it, but stands by her comment.
"People manipulated that and tried to villainize me for literally merely stating facts," Cambage said. "I love Becky getting her dollars upwards. But how do you have a coach making more than the whole team'due south salary cap? That's insane. How is that a balance?"
And information technology goes beyond simply salary. Even though several team owners would happily lease planes so their players can travel comfortably, they're prohibited from doing so (one owner was even fined over the offseason for chartering a airplane for his team). The WNBA'southward new collective bargaining agreement states that all teams must fly commercial and volume their players in comfort plus seats.
A condolement plus seat still doesn't fit her 6-8 frame, just she's found a solution — one that the WNBA won't pay for: flight first form, which is much roomier than fifty-fifty condolement plus. Cambage told the Times that she pays $5,000 to $8,000 a year to upgrade her tickets.
"I'm non sitting in the leave row," Cambage told the Times. "If you're under half-dozen-v, yous're fine. But players like me and Brittney [Griner], that'due south gonna come out of our pocket."
Playing for the Sparks and learning from teammates
Cambage'south journey around the WNBA has immune her to experience several unlike squad environments, merely she said that being on the Sparks is giving her whole new feelings equally the WNBA kicks off.
"This season is going to be the first of my career where I've been surrounded by so much love and support and fans and friends in the aforementioned metropolis. It'southward a dream come true." [...]
"I'm surrounded past people that really intendance and desire the all-time out of me," Cambage says. "I'm where I need to exist."
In that location'south some other do good to playing for the Sparks: she has directly access to Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike, who both have high positions in the WNBPA. When Cambage speaks, they listen.
"What I love nigh Liz is that she is authentically herself," Nneka Ogwumike told the Times. "She likes to shoot it to people directly, and she appreciates transparency from others. I really respect that." As for the WNBPA, it "answers to the players." She says Cambage's frankness "holds usa accountable. And I'g hoping [it does] for the league too."
Being fearlessly outspoken
Cambage almost never hesitates when information technology comes to speaking her listen, whether it'due south in an interview, on social media, or to her teammates. Even though she's thrilled to be on the Sparks and in Los Angeles, she doesn't programme to stop speaking out on anything. She wants to do what other players can't or won't, and she'southward non concerned about the consequences.
"Other than me, I don't really see anyone beingness truly vocal," Cambage says. "I don't know if it's just considering I'm non American and I'g like, 'what are you gonna do to me?' I'm not gonna make Squad The states. I'chiliad already not protected. I'm already not one of the favorites of the league. I don't have that little gold star that the WNBA seems to give every UConn player."
"I don't actually suck a**," she says with a laugh. "And I'm not about to."
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-liz-cambage-surrounded-by-love-and-support-on-sparks-but-will-keep-speaking-her-mind-202432676.html
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