A WNBA star threw shade at Caitlin Clark after the All-Star game on Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Clark swipe came as the league’s players have had tense talks about their pay in the new collective bargaining agreement for 2026 and the future.
Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum speaks to reporters after her team, Team Collier, beat Team Clark during the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday night[/caption]
Clark wearing a shirt that says, “Pay Us What You Owe Us” amid heated pay talks between the players and the WNBA[/caption]
WNBA All-Stars, including Clark, who didn’t play due to an injury, wore warm-up T-shirts that read, “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”
After the WNBA All-Star game, Los Angeles Sparks All-Star star Kelsey Plum wasn’t afraid to “tattletale” on captain Clark and her team during her postgame press conference.
Plum, who was on captain Napheesa Collier’s team, revealed that members of Clark’s team weren’t present when both teams were seemingly expected to meet before the game to coordinate wearing their shirts.
“It was a very powerful moment,” Plum said about the fans chanting “pay them” while WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert spoke on the court after the game.
“We didn’t, at least as players, we didn’t know that was going to happen. I think it was kind of, like, a genuine surprise.
“But the T-shirt, just, united front, was determined this morning, that we had a meeting for.
“And, you know, not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that.”
New York Liberty All-Star Sabrina Ionescu, who was alongside Plum at the press conference, seemed surprised at the comment.
“Not really needed to be mentioned,” Ionescu said as she shook her head before the pair then laughed.
Plum, who is also the vice president of the WNBPA, then said, “I’m not trying to make the situation light, OK.”
Clark hasn’t responded to Plum’s jab.
Team Clark and Team Collier warmed up for Saturday night’s WNBA All-Star game in black shirts with the message, “Pay us what you owe us.”
The WNBPA logo was also featured on the shirt.
The shirt decision came after the players and the league failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement at an in-person meeting two days earlier.
Plum goes to the bucket during the game in Indianapolis[/caption]
The WNBA’s players have been adamant about wanting to earn more money.
There have been fears over the WNBA dealing with a lockout next year.
But Engelbert said Saturday she believed a deal would be finalized before the current CBA expires.
“I’m still really optimistic that we’ll get something done that would be transformational,” she said.
“And that, next year at All-Star, we’ll be talking about how great everything is.
“Obviously there’s a lot of hard work to be done on both sides to get there.”
