Wasted Talent?



The best to ever play the game!


Maya Moore is in my opinion the best to ever play the game of women's basketball. Yes I said it. She's the most talented and most decorated player to ever lace them up. She's better than the great Cheryl Miller, Candace Parker, Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoops just to name a few. None of those players were able to lead their teams to 89 consecutive wins where more than 50 of them weren't even close.

While in high school in Georgia she amassed a 125-3 record, won 3 straight state championships and was named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, twice. I know that Cheryl once scored 100 points in a game but that means that she shot more than anyone else. I mean don't get me wrong, 100 points is unbelievable but this girl is winning like no one has ever done. Last I checked, it's was about winning championships and no one has done it better than this young lady has. 

All she's done at the college level was win two National titles, the John R. Wooden, Naismith and Wade Awards, not to mention the fact that she has lead the Lady Huskies to an NCAA record 89 consecutive wins and counting.She currently leads that team in every statistical category. So in my opinion, they'll continue to win this year and capture a third straight National Title. Ms. Moore will again win the Wooden, Naismith and Wade honors by seasons end. Um, I'd say that that qualifies her to be the best to ever play the game! However, is it all wasted talent?

Now of course I'm being facetious by asking that question. However, it's a shame that with all of that talent and ability. She'll never enjoy the fortunes that her male counterparts will earn over the course of their careers. It saddens me that a person with so much to offer the game won't be compensated for her contributions.  The WNBA just doesn't generate the revenue that the NBA does. So therefore, the league can't pay the same types of salaries that it pays the guys in the NBA.

Unfortunately, salaries are driven by tickets sells, jerseys, shoes and most recently video games. That revenue stream doesn't exist in the women's game. Let's compare the salaries of the WBNA to the NBA. The maximum WNBA veteran salary (over 6 years experience) according to Women's Basketball Online is $101K. The average veteran salary of an NBA player in 2007-2008 was $5.3 million. That was just the average cat, not for the superstars like Maya would be considered if she were a guy. Kobe Bryant is making according to HoopsHype.com $24 million this year. Now I'm not hating on Kobe, I'm just making a point that if this young lady were a guy with all of that talent she wouldn't still be at UConn. We haven't even discussed the hundreds of millions of dollars left on the table from endorsements that won't come her way.

The women's game just doesn't draw the same attention. I'm not mad I'm just saying that monetarily, that talent is wasted. So therefore, Maya will have to continue to play for the love and passion of the game.  But is that really so bad? What's your opinion?

Jay Graves