WNBA commissioner says she’s ‘disheartened’ by players’ comments

Amid a storm of condemnation from players and prominent sports figures, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert spoke to the media Friday at Michelob Ultra Arena before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Aces and Phoenix Mercury.

The embattled commissioner opened her remarks with a direct response to Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier’s recent statement that the WNBA has “the worst leadership in the world,” which opened the floodgates for similar critiques and questions surrounding whether Engelbert should remain in her role.

“I have the utmost respect for Napheesa and for every single player in our league,” Engelbert said. “They are at the center of everything we do. I was disheartened to hear that some players feel the league and me personally do not care about them or listen to them, and if the players in the ‘W’ don’t feel appreciated and valued by the league, then we have to do better, and I have to do better.

“We know how great these players are on and off the court, how much they mean to our league, our fans and our communities. If they don’t feel that, I will do everything I can to change that. No one should ever doubt how deeply I care about this league, this game and every single player who makes the WNBA what it is.”

Aces star A’ja Wilson said this week she was “disgusted” by the comments Collier alleged Engelbert made in their private conversations surrounding negotiations of the collective bargaining agreement, which expires Oct. 31.

Engelbert did not deny that she said players should be on their knees thanking her for the historic media rights deal she negotiated last year, but reiterated she is disheartened by recent events, public comments and reporting.

“I’m a human, too. I have a family,” Engelbert said. “It’s obviously been a tough week, and I just think there’s a lot of inaccuracy out there.”

She denied the alleged comments that Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark should be grateful to benefit from the WNBA’s platform, adding that Clark is “a great representative of the game.”

Engelbert said she has “never been a quitter,” adding that she feels confident trust can be rebuilt with the players who recently spoke out against her.

The basis of much of the frustration surrounding Engelbert’s tenure has surrounded inconsistent and poor officiating, which Aces coach Becky Hammon was recently fined for critiquing.

Engelbert admitted that officiating “has to keep pace” with the league’s development, and added that the league is establishing a “state of the game committee” to address those concerns.

She also provided an update on CBA negotiations, saying the league and its players “continue to meet and have important conversations,” while emphasizing both want many of the same things.

Engelbert reports to NBA commissioner Adam Silver. When asked how involved Silver has been in CBA talks, Engelbert offered a subtle suggestion that her job is not in jeopardy.

“Adam has been a great supporter of mine,” she said. “I give him updates periodically, but he’s not in the bargaining room.”

Engelbert did not speak about the status of the WNBA’s probe into the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s $100,000 sponsorship for each Aces player. The investigation was announced in May 2024, and the Aces are in the second year of the deal despite an apparent lack of conclusion of the probe.

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on Twitter.