The eligibility requirements of the NBA versus the WNBA differ in such a way to allow male athletes to start their professional careers earlier. The NBA requires incoming athletes to be only one year removed from high school, whereas the WNBA requires incoming athletes to be 4 years removed from high school. Although the NBA oversees and runs both the NBA and WNBA, the eligibility requirements are in favor of male sports and therefore allow male athletes to begin their careers sooner than females.
