Napheesa Collier didn’t hold back in her criticism of league leadership in the recent conference, citing its failure to adequately address issues such as officiating, player compensation, and the overall state of the product. Well, this isn’t the first time WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and her front office have faced scrutiny. That said, it looks like Engelbert may soon make a decision that could turn into a win-win for everyone involved.

According to a recent article by Sports Business Journal, Engelbert is “likely to exit as WNBA commissioner after CBA negotiations”. The decision has been made, according to the report, on a ‘relationship-driven’ basis. In other words, it is tied to the way she has dealt with colleagues and players “amid unprecedented growth within the league”.

As an anonymous source stated, Engelbert “hasn’t connected; she’s not a relationship builder, which you have to be in that job with the teams, with the players”. The source even added, “You’re where you are now, you have got to get through this labor negotiation. After that, it wouldn’t surprise me if she did a victory lap and rode off back into the corporate world somewhere.”

The WNBA has already made several changes through the off-season, with teams getting rid of their head coaches. Therefore, why not take things up a notch and see a commissioner exit the league as well?

Cathy Engelbert assumed the top office in 2019, becoming the WNBA’s first commissioner, since her predecessors had held the title of “President.” She was praised for guiding the league through the COVID-19 pandemic and a subsequent period of explosive growth.

Yet in recent years, despite a major media rights deal and expansion plans, Engelbert’s popularity has waned. A key factor has been the persistent issue of low average pay for WNBA players, a concern the athletes have made impossible to ignore, even spotlighting it during the WNBA All-Star Game. With the deadline to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement set for October 31st, the pressure on Engelbert is mounting.

Additionally, the WNBA front office has also been facing criticism over the last few weeks for its alleged inaction against referees. Everyone from Cheryl Reeve and Becky Hammon to Angel Reese and Sophie Cunningham has spoken out about the level of physicality under which the athletes play. Furthermore, going up against referees over calls and overall officiating has resulted in players getting fines. Engelbert has earlier highlighted the need to address this, but nothing has come to fruition as of yet.

As said earlier, this surge of criticism toward Engelbert traces back to Game 3 of the Minnesota Lynx’s semifinal series against the Phoenix Mercury. A no-call on heavy contact with Collier caused an injury, prompting Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve to lash out at the league’s officiating in her postgame remarks, earning a one-game suspension.

At her end-of-season press conference on Tuesday, however, Collier’s remarks made Reeve’s response appear mild. She condemned the WNBA’s officiating and directly criticized Engelbert’s leadership, claiming the commissioner said, “Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.” With Collier serving as vice president on the WNBPA executive committee, and with little visible progress on a CBA needed to prevent a work stoppage, her comments carried extra weight.

Engelbert stated she was “disheartened” by Collier’s depiction of their conversations. Meanwhile, a WNBA spokesperson jumped in Tuesday night and stated that the reports about Engelbert leaving are “categorically false”. The commissioner herself was unavailable for comment. However, this statement didn’t stop the WNBA’s player union from standing in support of the criticism against her. 

WNBPA Backs Napheesa Collier’s Remarks Against Cathy Engelbert

Napheesa Collier made some major allegations during her exit interview about the WNBA’s leadership. According to the Lynx star, when she sat across from Engelbert and asked how she planned to address the officiating issues in our league, the commissioner allegedly said, “Well, only the losers complain about the refs.”

Later, Collier revealed discussing a pay raise for at least players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and others who are driving massive revenue for the league, but making so little under their rookie contracts. Engelbert’s alleged response was, “(Clark) should be grateful. She makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.” 

Sometime after Napheesa Collier’s remarks went viral, the WNBPA presented a statement to The Athletic. The same read that “Napheesa Collier is an outstanding leader and Officer of this Union. When Phee speaks, people listen. We are confident that her words today speak to the feelings and experiences of many, if not most or all of our members. The leaders of the league and its teams would benefit from listening to her powerful statement. The players know their value even if the league does not. They are fighting for their legacy and the future of basketball.”

Along with the 6 years of experience Collier has, she holds respect amongst the WNBA circle thanks to her work in improving the 3 v 3 league she and Breanna Stewart founded together. For the two players, the goal is to provide the Unrivaled players a salary that could earn them ‘generational wealth’. Furthermore, Collier has been among the most vocal critics of the WNBA’s pay structure for its players.