A senior WNBA reporter is putting WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on blast, labeling her recent comments on the Connecticut Sun sale as flat-out ‘disrespectful’ to fans and the team’s owners.

During a recent episode on CLNS, Noa Dalzell didn’t hold her thoughts back while addressing Engelbert’s repeated stance on the situation.

“The amount of times that she said – nobody in Boston made an expansion bid – when, why would someone make an expansion bid when there was a team that everybody knew was going to be up for sale…?” Dalzell said.

To understand the whole mess, we have to go back to how this entire situation unfolded.

It all started when the Connecticut Sun were put up for sale. And two major bidders wanted to secure this franchise.

One was a Boston-based ownership group led by Steve Pagliuca, which reportedly offered a record $325 million to buy the team and move it to TD Garden. The other was a $300 million bid from Tilman Fertitta, who wanted to take the franchise to Houston.

On paper, the decision should have been straightforward, and the higher bid should have won. But that’s where things took a turn.

Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA stepped in and stated that “relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams.” That effectively blocked the Boston move, despite the higher offer, and shifted the momentum toward Houston instead. And that’s exactly where the frustration from analysts like Dalzell begins.

“We’re seeing Connecticut Congress members saying that they wanted an investigation into this. I’m with them on the investigation… But it’s disrespectful to some fans, it’s disrespectful to the Mohegan Tribe, (and) it’s disrespectful to us listeners who are trying to take her for her word,” the reporter added.

This situation raised so many eyebrows across the league that even lawmakers have stepped in. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal has called for a Department of Justice antitrust investigation, alleging that the league may have rigged the process by steering the sale away from a higher local bid.

It cannot be debated that The Sun have built a massive loyal following over their 23-year run in New England. They sold out games, expanded their footprint into Boston, and became one of the most stable franchises in the league. Now, to see that potentially dismantled, while being told there simply wasn’t interest, hasn’t sat well with the fans.

But is this just about one decision or it’s about a growing list of concerns surrounding the league’s leadership?

Questions around Cathy Engelbert’s leadership continue to grow

The WNBA Commissioner has been under fire for a while now. But it isn’t because of the Connecticut Sun situation, it’s about the pattern that’s getting harder to ignore every day.

While Engelbert has overseen significant growth in the WNBA since taking over in 2019, which included increased visibility and major media deals, criticism has gone hand-in-hand.

Fans and players themselves have raised issues surrounding officiating, player salaries, and overall league direction.

And one of the biggest flashpoints came during the prolonged collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the WNBA and the WNBPA. That process stretched on for over a year, with tensions building before the league finally agreed to meet several key player demands.

That stretch intensified scrutiny around Cathy Engelbert’s leadership and played a major role in fueling calls for change. And those frustrations were on full display even during the 2026 WNBA Draft.

Engelbert was asked about how long she plans to continue as commissioner, and her answer wasn’t what you would expect.

“I wonder whether you would ask that of a man,” she said.

If all the things going wrong with the league weren’t enough for the basketball community to question the leadership already, her comments only made things worse.

As soon as her comments went viral, many pointed towards the male commissioners across major leagues who are questioned about their roles all the time.

At a time when the WNBA is growing faster than ever, moments like these matter. Because for many fans, it’s no longer just about the league’s progress, it’s about who is leading it. And for them, a league reflects its leadership.