Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has sparked a social media trend this week due to comments he made about women’s basketball during an episode of “The Pivot Podcast.”
On the podcast, Porter addressed the significant salary gap between NBA and WNBA players, expressing his respect for women’s basketball. He highlighted the role of ticket sales in determining player salaries and used the analogy of a famous ping-pong player to emphasize the importance of what people want to watch.
“While I understand females wanting the same treatment as male basketball players, it’s a different sport. They are not packing out the arenas, obviously their TV deals aren’t the same,” Porter stated. “As much as I advocate for women and the quality of the respect of their craft and all those things, you can’t pay them the same thing, you know? But I do feel like there should be a little way to make a little bit more money because they are very talented.”
Porter’s comments have stirred controversy, with a significant portion of the sports world viewing them as disrespectful. As of now, Porter has not responded to the criticism he’s facing on social media.
Some athletes may find it more beneficial to refrain from commenting on controversial topics, as it can lead to unintended consequences or backlash.
