"It's actually insulting": Michael Porter Jr's whimsical comments on women's basketball draw backlash on Twitter

Michael Porter Jr has been vocal about his thoughts on the current scenarios in the NBA. The small forward for the Denver Nuggets recently sparked controversy with his latest narrative on WNBA, drawing reactions from fans around the world.

There has already been a long course of discussions going on regarding gender pay equality in the basketball regime. The advocates of both sides have differing viewpoints on the narrative, making it a debatable topic.

MPJ countered the same question with his thoughts while speaking on The Pivot Podcast, hosted by Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor, and Ryan Clark.

Fred asked:

"You have strong ties to women's Hoops, we mentioned it earlier and you just recently resigned or signed a new deal with Puma, right? I saw you rocking the Stewie twos Brianna Stewart her kicks um... have you been outspoken about the pay the wages in the WNBA and for those ladies? "

MPJ replied:

“I know these females want to get paid more and they’re very talented, but so is a famous ping-pong player. Like, the best ping pong player is just as talented as the best basketball player. That doesn’t mean that they’re going to get paid the same because it’s what the people wanna watch."

Porter's stance on the equal pay issue has attracted attention from WNBA fans and the advocates of women's sports on X/Twitter. Alexi, a former college tennis player and an advocate for women in sports, reacted to Michael Porter Jr comparing women basketball players with ping-pong players and wrote:

"This wasn't advocating for women's hoops at all smh it's actually insulting."

Soon after the ping-pong remarks by Michael Porter Jr on the pay gap were made, fans boiled out in the post's comments section. Here are some of the reactions on the post:

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Fans take different sides in Michael Porter Jr's WNBA discussion

The pay gap among WNBA players remains a significant issue that underscores the disparity between men's and women's professional sports. With the maximum salary in the WNBA reaching only $235,000 in 2023, compared to the minimum NBA salary of $1.1 million for the same season, the financial discrepancy is stark.

Despite the financial obstacles, WNBA players have shown remarkable resilience and ingenuity in managing their earnings and pursuing alternative sources of income. Numerous athletes leverage their diverse skill sets and entrepreneurial endeavors, such as media appearances, coaching roles, and business ventures, to maintain financial stability while competing in the league.

However, the fans dissected the issue. While some took Michale Porter Jr's side, others put forth what was happening during the games. An X/Twitter user shared statistical data of the New York Liberty game that saw over 17,000 attendees for the night.

On the other hand, another user explained Michael Porter Jr's point on what we wanted to say.