For WNBA players, spending the offseason by competing in Russia can be lucrative, with some earning more money than they make back home.
For the elite athletes in the WNBA, spending the offseason by playing in Russia can mean earning more money than they can make back home — sometimes even two or three times as much. “My experience in Russia has been amazing, to be honest,” said Breanna Stewart, who has played for Ekaterinburg since 2020.For the elite athletes in the WNBA, spending the offseason playing in Russia can mean earning more money than they can make back home — sometimes even two or three times as much.
Since arriving at a Moscow airport in mid-February, she has been detained by police after they reported finding vape cartridges allegedly containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Still in jail, she is awaiting trial next month on charges that could bring up to 10 years in prison. “Playing there was not easy because the lifestyle and the way of living is a lot different than what you experience in other places in Europe and America,” said DeLisha Milton-Jones, one of the first marquee American players to play in Russia in the early 2000s.
In the early 2000s, top WNBA players could earn about $125,000 a year as part of a marketing deal with the league. Today, the salary for elite players is about $500,000. By playing in Russia, those players can earn another $1 million to $1.5 million. Milton-Jones, 47, played in other European leagues but said Russia paid the most at the time. And none topped UMKC Ekaterinburg, which continues to be an attractive destination for players.
Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi also spent many years playing in Russia for Kalmanovich and spoke of luxurious living conditions and the lavish trips he would provide.
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