Isaiah Thomas: 'WNBA Players Should Be Paid a Lot More Than They’re Getting Right Now'

In the piece titled "If You Know, You Know," Thomas talked about taking his sons to the WNBA All-Star game in Seattle and how much he loved the experience.

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Nuggets point guard Isaiah Thomas penned an essay for The Player's Tribune that was released Monday. He discussed Thomas' hometown team the Storm, which is "Seattle basketball royalty," along with salaries in the WNBA.

In the piece titled "If You Know, You Know," Thomas talked about taking his sons to the WNBA All-Star game in Seattle and how much he loved the experience. He discussed how fired up he gets that people forget the Seattle Storm and their 2004 and 2010 championships.

"To put it really simple: If you don’t respect women’s basketball, you’re a joke. You’re a joke, man."

And the way I see it is — I’m not even about convincing people how important the WNBA is anymore. I’m not even about that. Because real heads know. They know that either you can appreciate the WNBA, and either you’re cool with the WNBA, or I’m sorry to say it but the truth is: You’re not someone who deserves a seat at the table of this conversation." 

Thomas also talked about how better support, more exposure and better pay can make the game better.

"We’ve also gotta make more noise about WNBA salaries. Waymore noise. WNBA players should be paid a lot more than they’re getting right now. That’s obvious. They’re professional athletes and role models and the best in the world at what they do — they should be paid like it. Better salaries are there if we want them to be. So let’s speak up about that."

Last week, Warriors star Stephen Curry wrote an essay where he stood up for women's equality and discussed closing the pay gap in America. 

The Phoenix Mercury forced a Game 5 against the Storm in the WNBA semifinals. The decider will be played Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.