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Australian basketball star Liz Cambage has signed a three-month contract worth $1 million to play for Chinese team Sichuan. The deal, which begins next year, reportedly includes significant bonus clauses. The 32-year-old is one of the most controversial figures in world basketball, having previously played for four other teams in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA).
Cambage's outspoken nature has landed her in trouble on multiple occasions, but her talent has ensured she remains a valuable player on the global scene. "It's one of the strongest leagues in the world and I have played many seasons there over the years," she said of the WCBA in a statement to Page 13. "I have always loved my time in China and I am really looking forward to getting out onto the court again."
Cambage left her previous team, the Los Angeles Sparks, in July 2020 after 25 games. She cited the WNBA's lack of support for players as a reason for her departure. "I was hopeful the WNBA would do its part in creating safer environments and a stronger support system for their players," she said in a since-deleted Instagram post.
The WNBA's Supermax contract is capped at $234,936 per season, meaning Cambage will earn four times that amount in just three months playing for Sichuan. However, it's unlikely she will return to the league, having been critical of its player salaries in the past.
Liz has a great career statistics
Cambage's career statistics are impressive, with regular season averages of 15.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. She has racked up a total of 2,634 points and 1,258 rebounds over her six-year WNBA career, playing for the Tulsa Shock (now Dallas Wings), the Wings, the Las Vegas Aces, and the Sparks.
Despite allegations of racism towards the Nigerian national team, Cambage remains a popular figure among Australian basketball fans. She has previously represented the Opals in international competitions but is unlikely to do so again.
Cambage's move to Sichuan is just the latest in a long line of high-profile transfers to China's WCBA. The league has attracted a number of international stars in recent years, including former WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart and Cambage's Australian teammate, Liz Cambage.