The Las Vegas Aces are back in the WNBA Finals for the third time in four years after a wild 107-98 overtime win against the Indiana Fever. A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young went off, dropping a combined 67 points, with Wilson stuffing the stat sheet: 35 points, 8 boards, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks in a do-or-die Game 5. Congrats to the champs-in-waiting, but surprisingly, that wasn’t the headline of the day. What stole the spotlight was Napheesa Collier calling out the WNBA commissioner. And when the dust settled, guess who backed her up? The four-time MVP herself.

A’ja Wilson used her postgame presser to back Napheesa Collier, praising her courage to speak out against the commissioner: “I just wanna say I was honestly disgusted by the comments Cathy made but at the same time I am very appreciative that we have people like Phee in our committee of the players association, representing us because that’s what we are have to continue to make the push to stand on what we believe in and I am grateful to have those kind of people to be able to continue to speak up for us.”

For context, Collier is the WNBPA vice president and part of its executive council, so her direct call-out carries weight, and with Wilson standing firmly beside her, the players’ voice just got even louder.

Wilson also made it clear the league isn’t done hearing from the players, saying the issue of physicality and officiating will come up in the next CBA meeting. She stood firmly with Napheesa Collier, stating, “I’m going to ride with Phee, always. Obviously she is a business girly and she has her own stuff going on. But moving forward, we gotta continue to stand on business as we talk about this CBA negotiation.”

Her words carry extra weight given the speculation swirling that WNBA commissioner Engelbert’s tenure could be ending sooner rather than later. 

Back in July, the WNBA’s top stars made a bold statement before the All-Star game, rocking t-shirts with one clear message: “Pay us what you owe us.” The move came as the players’ union prepared for ongoing CBA talks, with their current deal set to expire at the end of the season. The demand wasn’t NBA-level salaries; it was about getting a fairer slice of the league’s shared revenue. And now, Wilson flagged another topic to push in the upcoming negotiations.

All of this started when Collier went down with a left ankle injury with just 21.8 seconds left in Game 3 against the Phoenix Mercury after colliding with Alyssa Thomas. With her sidelined, the Lynx fell in Game 4 and were knocked out of Finals contention. Adding to the drama, head coach Cheryl Reeve was ejected during the series and suspended for the next game due to her profanity and confrontational behavior toward the referees and league officials.

Wilson wasn’t the only one standing with Collier. Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White praised her for speaking up and showing leadership, while guard Lexie Hull said the league is at a crucial moment and changes need to happen. Even Sparks forward Dearica Hamby and Liberty’s Isabelle Harrison thanked Collier for using her voice, and many others across the league stood up in support, showing just how united the players are behind her.

Napheesa Collier calls out the league’s attitude

Lynx star Napheesa Collier didn’t hold back in her end-of-season exit interview, directly calling out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league’s leadership. Representing the players’ association, Collier laid out a scathing critique of how the league has handled officiating complaints, salaries, and accountability. “We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world. But, right now, we have the worst leadership in the world,” she said, emphasizing that the lack of oversight and follow-through from the league office undermines both the game and its players. Collier framed the real threat to the WNBA not as money or ratings, but the “lack of accountability from the league office,” a systemic problem that she says persists year after year.

Collier got personal, sharing past conversations with Engelbert where she raised officiating concerns and was dismissed.  She recounted being told, “Only the losers complain about the refs,” highlighting a culture that ignores the players’ frustrations. Collier also criticized the league’s treatment of younger stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers, noting that salaries remain far too low despite driving fan interest.

Engelbert allegedly told her, “Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court… Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.”  Collier criticized this mindset, pointing out that the league often overlooks the hard work and impact of its players. She said the athletes fight and perform at the highest level every day, yet the league acts as if it thrives in spite of them rather than because of their efforts and dedication. 

The critique comes amid tense CBA negotiations, with the league set to discuss higher salaries, better revenue sharing, and more consistent officiating. Collier’s remarks also referenced controversial calls during the Lynx-Mercury semifinals, where coaching and officiating decisions drew heavy scrutiny. Speaking on behalf of the players’ association, Collier delivered a powerful message: the league cannot continue to ignore its talent, or risk alienating the very stars driving its growth. “Year after year the only thing that remains consistent is a lack of accountability from our leaders… That is negligence,” she said, making it clear that the WNBA’s top players expect serious change or they will keep holding the league accountable.