The WNBA All-Star Weekend ended on Saturday, but the drama it sparked is just getting started. Players walked onto the court wearing “pay us what you owe us” t-shirts, igniting a firestorm that’s divided fans, critics, and even teammates. What started as a unified message quickly turned personal when one star threw her teammates under the bus.
Why Did Kelsey Plum Call Out Caitlin Clark’s Team?
Dave Portnoy didn’t hold back when he saw what happened next. The Barstool Sports founder has been vocal about supporting WNBA players in their fight for better pay, but Kelsey Plum’s post-game comments crossed a line for him.
Following Team Collier’s 151-131 victory over Team Clark, Plum sat down with reporters and revealed that the “pay us what you owe us” message was planned ahead of time among the players. However, she also dropped what many saw as an unnecessary dig at Clark’s squad. She mentioned that no player from Clark’s team was present during the discussion.
“Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that,” she stated during her interview.
Portnoy, who’s been one of Caitlin Clark’s biggest supporters and a vocal Indiana Fever fan, immediately fired back on social media. He shared the clip from Plum’s interview and didn’t mince words in his response. “Yes, players can be morons like Kelsey Plum and still deserve more money,” he wrote.
Yes players can be morons like Kelsey Plum and still deserve more money. pic.twitter.com/bQ0TyGJMWE
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 20, 2025
While Plum claimed she commented to lighten the mood during what was clearly a serious discussion, her words didn’t land well with fans or critics. The timing felt particularly awkward given the weight of the pay parity conversation happening across the league
What Makes Portnoy’s Defense of WNBA Players So Significant?
But Portnoy wasn’t done. His frustration with the situation boiled over into a broader defense of WNBA players and their fight for better compensation. In another tweet, he aimed at the critics pushing back against the players’ demands.
The media personality believes the WNBA is currently “exploding” in terms of revenue generation, and he thinks the players deserve a much bigger piece of that pie. Portnoy says the financial arguments against better player compensation are both weak and misleading. He’s thrown his full support behind Clark and other stars as they push for improved pay structures.
“I see lots of morons trying to act like WNBA players don’t deserve more money,” Portnoy wrote on X. “They are throwing around this ‘lost 50 million’ number that nobody even knows where it comes from.
He continued his criticism by targeting the league’s financial transparency. “The finances of the league are a mess, tied in with NBA and purposely murky. The owners don’t want to say how the league is doing cause then you gotta pay more going into bargaining agreement.”
Portnoy pointed to the broader picture of the league’s growth. From franchise valuations to ticket sales, he sees a league that’s thriving in ways that should directly benefit the players. He argues that team values alone should be enough to justify significant pay increases without even considering other revenue streams.
“The players have an opt-out in their CBA. Of course they took it. It’s all about leverage in re-negotiations and for the 1st time in history of league players have power,” he explained. “The players make virtually nothing while the entire league explodes. Of course they deserve more money. Just the values of the team pay for it without all the other stuff.”
The fan support has been notable as well. During the All-Star festivities, spectators shouted “pay them” as Commissioner Cathy Engelbert presented the All-Star MVP award to Napheesa Collier, showing that the message is resonating beyond just the players and media personalities.
The numbers back up the players’ frustration. WNBA stars receive less than 10% of the league’s salary revenues. That’s a stark contrast to the NBA, where players take home over 50% of league revenues through their collective bargaining agreement.
Critics of the pay increase movement argue that the women’s league doesn’t generate enough money or attention to warrant NBA-level compensation. However, Portnoy continues pushing back against these detractors, using his platform to highlight what he sees as the league’s untapped potential and current growth trajectory.
Not good enough to get attention in a positive manner so she goes Angel Reese on anyone listening. What a disgusting loser!