Life for a WNBA player

[OldAlum]

Maybe I haven't looked in the right places. But the news of players going off to various overseas teams reminded me of my curiosity about their lifestyle.
How do they manage housing for the WNBA season? Do they have to give up a lease and then find a place again when they return? How do the teams help with this? What do the players who live alone (or with other players) do with the pets we see them showing off? Is housing provided overseas?

While the better players can certainly make good money playing in the WNBA and overseas, it is an unusual living situation. Also wonder how many WNBA players bring spouses SOs or children overseas.

 

[Roger G]

My experience tells me that the WNBA teams put up their players in apartments during the season. The Sun players are put up at a place in Groton. When they were the Orlando Miracle, I used to live in the same apartment complex where the players lived. I don't know who pays the rent though. As for overseas, there are probably many different arrangements. I would think players like Taurasi and Moore would get their own house, but I have no real information about that.

 

[YellwJcket999]

https://wnbpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/WNBA-CBA-2014-2021Final.pdf
Look at the lodging section on page 97. It pretty much explains it.

Section 1.
Lodging.
(a)
During the Regular Season and playoffs, players will be provided with the
following options with respect to housing in the home cities of their WNBA Teams: (i) stayin
g
in housing provided by the Team, or (ii) receiving a monthly housing stipend equal to the
average monthly cost of a furnished one bedroom apartment in the market where the Team plays
its home games, as determined by data published by the local chamber of
commerce (or similar
organization) in each such market. Neither the WNBA nor any Team may impose restrictions as
to who may visit players in the housing

 

[Orangutan]

How do they manage housing for the WNBA season? Do they have to give up a lease and then find a place again when they return?

I remember Delle Donne talking about the difficulty of finding an apartment for a 6-month lease that would allow a Great Dane. So in her case, she seemed to be finding her own place rather than having one provided by the team.

I also wonder how come it is for players to room together. I know MoJeff posted on instagram about being K-Mac's roommate this year.

 

[Charles T]

When they both played for the Washington Mystics, Stef and Bria shared an apartment in Virginia, eight subway stops from the Verizon Center home court

 

[willtalk]

My initial take on the title of the thread " Life for a WNBA Player" made be think one had just been convicted of murder.

 

[bballnut90]

https://wnbpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/WNBA-CBA-2014-2021Final.pdf
Look at the lodging section on page 97. It pretty much explains it.

Section 1.
Lodging.
(a)
During the Regular Season and playoffs, players will be provided with the
following options with respect to housing in the home cities of their WNBA Teams: (i) stayin
g
in housing provided by the Team, or (ii) receiving a monthly housing stipend equal to the
average monthly cost of a furnished one bedroom apartment in the market where the Team plays
its home games, as determined by data published by the local chamber of
commerce (or similar
organization) in each such market. Neither the WNBA nor any Team may impose restrictions as
to who may visit players in the housing

So if I'm reading the correctly, their housing is separate from their salary?

 

[YellwJcket999]

Yes. It appears that housing is separate from salary, provided by the team (I haven't be over it in a while. I will review this weekend if there are still questions I will inbox things I uncovered). There are a few provisions on travel allowances/relocation if traded.

Overall the CBA is a pretty interesting read. I thought that I posted this thing quite a while back during the Diamond Deshields skipping the draft/playing overseas thread.

 

[CocoHusky]

Yes. It appears that housing is separate from salary, provided by the team (I haven't be over it in a while. I will review this weekend if there are still questions I will inbox things I uncovered). There are a few provisions on travel allowances/relocation if traded.

Overall the CBA is a pretty interesting read. I thought that I posted this thing quite a while back during the Diamond Deshields skipping the draft/playing overseas thread.

You did.

 

[Trappa]

My experience tells me that the WNBA teams put up their players in apartments during the season. The Sun players are put up at a place in Groton. When they were the Orlando Miracle, I used to live in the same apartment complex where the players lived. I don't know who pays the rent though. As for overseas, there are probably many different arrangements. I would think players like Taurasi and Moore would get their own house, but I have no real information about that.

On UMMC Ekaterinburg, I know Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner both have their own places apartments/condos; it’s the richest roster in Europe though so I don’t know if that’s the rule or exception. As for significant others, the UMMC stream shows Penny Taylor quite often during games, but it’s hard to say if anything involving Diana is the exception or the rule. I guess it depends on what the husband/wife/GF/BF does for her/his career as well.

In China the American players get their own place, but I seem to recall most, if not all, are in hotels.

On another note, I think Maya is finished playing abroad. She didn’t play last year and she isn’t playing this year.

 

[MilfordHusky]

When they both played for the Washington Mystics, Stef and Bria shared an apartment in Virginia, eight subway stops from the Verizon Center home court

Sounds like King Street. I’m one stop closer to D.C.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I remember Delle Donne talking about the difficulty of finding an apartment for a 6-month lease that would allow a Great Dane. So in her case, she seemed to be finding her own place rather than having one provided by the team.

I also wonder how come it is for players to room together. I know MoJeff posted on instagram about being K-Mac's roommate this year.

I had to chuckle that Elena Delle Donne - a tall drink of water - would have a Great Dane.

 

[Orangutan]

I had to chuckle that Elena Delle Donne - a tall drink of water - would have a Great Dane.

Wrigley is such a regal beast. And properly sized for EDD