Much like last week’s spotlight Charlotte Wilder, this spotlight article will focus on some quick facts and why this woman deserves to be recognized. As a WNBA player, Seimone Augustus has already made a huge impact on the court, but her work off the court is why she’s this week’s pick for spotlight.
Before I get to all of that, here’s a little background on Augustus. She attended LSU and was drafted first overall in 2006 by the Minnesota Lynx. She was one of the bright spots of the otherwise abysmal franchise and we can see what has happened since she joined the team. She’s a three-time WNBA champion, a member of the Women’s U.S. National Team and a 6-time WNBA All-Star. Her impact on basketball is immeasurable but her impact off the court is what is so fascinating about her.
Despite her success on the court, she has taken her talent overseas and opened up about it today. She was the first athlete featured on The Undefeated new series, “The Clubhouse“. It’s sort of like the Player’s Tribune where athletes get to talk about their lives outside of sports. In the article, Augustus goes into the less talked-about details about women’s professional basketball.
Most of the biggest WNBA stars actually play overseas during the offseason. You might be thinking it’s because they love the sport which is true. However, the biggest reason is the money and how much more they can be paid for their talents. The other thing people don’t realize is how exhausting it for the women, “It’s very hard at times to have quality basketball and have players that are at 100 percent when we play year-round and we’re all kind of banged up. We’re doing the best that we can with the damage that’s been done to our body and very little break,” Augustus said.
Unlike most of the NBA players, the WNBA players who play overseas don’t get a chance to relax. They have to worry about their health, finances, and futures. She even tried to suggest some solutions such as more sponsorships including adding brands to jerseys. Even though it might not seem smart for the NBA, using it for the WNBA could be a great strategy for giving the players another form of revenue. Another example would be featuring WNBA players in ads men couldn’t be in such as feminine products where it would be really uncomfortable seeing LeBron James in product commercials.
It might not be the perfect solution, but Augustus is thinking more about the long-term. While the WNBA wants to fine their players for overseas commitments, they should really look at themselves. They will only hurt their players in the long run, because they could leave and go overseas to get paid more. With the league almost 21 years old, there’s no reason why this should still be an issue.
Augustus’ fight for equality is admirable, because it’s something that is so long overdue. With the USWNT still fighting, it should come as no surprise why she spoke so openly. Also, with the recent comments by former player Candice Wiggins, the WNBA should get a wake-up call.
Augustus is this week’s spotlight, because she’s trying to make a change for the long and short term. She wants the WNBA to care about its players and change the culture surrounding it. Here’s hoping all of Seimone Augustus’ hard work will pay off soon!
