SHOW ME THE MONEY $$$

Lauren Jackson might be the “Michael Jordan of women’s basketball”, but she can only dream about his pay packet. If she were a man “she would be worth $200 million”, says a Sydney player manager. However, her earning potential was limited to $500,000, which include endorsements and game income from playing in the US, Australia and Europe or Russia. For example, Jackson who won the WNBA's MVP award in 2003, earned $85,000 after taxes($112,000) in that season with the Storm, which was the maximum allowable in the WNBA! She also received about the same in endorsements.
Meanwhile, a 20 year old fellow Australian, Andrew Bogut has signed a five-year, $37 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks and will earn $5.51 million in his rookie season! In my opinion, this is ridiculous! He has not even stepped foot in an NBA game! Lauren Jackson, on the other hand, is indisputably one of the best female basketball players in the world, and yet her yearly income is not even slightly comparable to the men in the NBA with her accolades. As of this year, the WNBA is having their 10th year anniversary, thanks to the help of the NBA backbone. Hopefully, one day the WNBA will be firmly established financially and women will have the chance to see the bigger dollar signs that they deserve, just as their male counterparts.

Summer 2006

Oh those summer days... I must say that I am enjoying the time off. It was both a mentally and physically demanding year! This is the time to recouperate and then get ready for the next season. It is also a great time to catch up with family and friends! Tobi and I have done some traveling already including Atlantic City, Philadelphia and New York. This weekend, I am going to Ft. Lauderdale with some friends from college for Megan Mazzie´s bachelorette party!!! In July, we have a small road trip planned through Washington D.C., Virginina and then down through the Outer Banks, North Carolina. As you can see we are trying to enjoy ourselves! We are mainly working out 4-5 times a week very hard: weight training, conditioning and skill work on the court. Tobi does a great job of pushing me as well as putting up with me playing him one-on-one. (for those who know me, know that my competitativeness can be hard to deal with! haha) The Philadelphia summer league has started with games on Monday and Wednesday nights. I am doing a lot of individual training of players throughout the week, which I really enjoy. I find it very rewarding to work in the development of young players and then see them make progress. I am also in the process of developing my own camp starting 2007!