Liz Cambage has the last laugh after signing a staggering $1million contract to play in China, months after being sacked by WNBA and Opals

Polarizing Australian basketball star Liz Cambage has had the last laugh after being fired by her WNBA club and national team, signing a mega $1 million deal with a Chinese basketball team.

Cambage was fired by her WNBA club LA Sparks and told her time with the Australian Opals was over this year after a series of racing-related controversies.

With her WNBA and international career in tatters, it seemed like the end of the road for the 31-year-old center.

But Cambage, known as one of the sport’s most controversial figures, has announced a lucrative three-month contract with Chinese team Sichuan, worth a whopping $1 million.

She confirmed the signing on Instagram with a story that included the line: “One milly, then I’ll perform.”

“If they hate, let them hate and watch the money pile up,” she posted separately.

Cambage has worked as a model and DJ and has an OnlyFans page to supplement her income outside of basketball

This massive deal is one of the largest in women’s basketball history and stands in stark contrast to the WNBA, where even the highest-paid players are allowed a maximum annual salary of $234,936.

Cambage’s astronomical earnings will see her rake grow nearly four times in just a fraction of the time.

The contract starts next year and is rumored to include significant bonus clauses, according to a report from News Corp.

It comes after the former Opal was spotted partying in Ibiza after a performance at Israel-based club Maccabi Bnot Ashdod earlier this year, following its unexpected departure from the top US league.

“I have always enjoyed my time in China and I am really looking forward to getting back on the field,” she said.

‘It is one of the strongest leagues in the world and I have played there many seasons over the years.

“Some of the best players in the world play in the league and it will be great to meet my teammates and the entire support team soon.

“They have a great culture of success where everyone embraces and supports everyone else, which is why they are so successful as a club.”

Despite being a four-time WNBA All-Star, WNBL MVP and Olympic bronze medalist, Cambage’s career was marred by a series of controversies.

Cambage, pictured second from left, during happier days with Australian Opals teammates

The writing was on the wall for Cambage with the LA Sparks when teammate Chiney Ogwumike rolled her eyes at her during a media conference

One of the major turning points came in 2022, when she clashed with the Los Angeles Sparks, effectively ending her WNBA career.

Reports circulated that Cambage had a heated confrontation in the team’s locker room, expressing frustration over her lack of involvement in the match.

A controversial press conference with Nigerian-American teammate Chiney Ogwumike rolling her eyes at Cambage only added fuel to the fire.

These incidents ultimately led to her departure from the Sparks in July of that year.

Then Cambage faced significant backlash and was banned from representing her country after a highly publicized incident ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

She was accused of making derogatory comments to Nigerian players, calling them “monkeys” and telling them to “go back to your third world country.”

These comments put a strain on her relationship with her Australian national team teammates, including Ezi Magbegor, who is of Nigerian descent.

In her 2022 season with the LA Sparks, Cambage put up respectable numbers, averaging 13 points and 11.5 rebounds, but the team struggled for consistency, finishing the season with a 13–23 record.

Cambage announced her departure from the franchise after just 25 games, and expressed hope that the WNBA would improve its support system and player compensation in a now-deleted Instagram post.