After a stormy week filled with criticism from her WNBA players, Cathy Engelbert knew all eyes were on her. Standing before Game 1 of the Finals, the commissioner didn’t waste the moment. With the players questioning her leadership, Engelbert vowed to rebuild their trust. She promised a new multi-stakeholder task force to finally address officiating, and insisted she was still the right person to guide the WNBA forward. But winning back their support was never going to be easy….

According to ESPN, Napheesa Collier has now called off her scheduled meeting with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Sources told the outlet that Collier had initially texted Engelbert, saying she was open to sitting down next week to talk through her sharp criticism of the league during Tuesday’s press conference. But those plans have since been scrapped, adding another layer of tension to the already strained relationship between players and the commissioner.

Why did Phee back out? It traces back to Friday’s press conference, where Cathy Engelbert directly pushed back on Collier’s claims. “Obviously, I did not make those comments,” Engelbert told reporters. “There’s a lot of inaccuracies reported out there, and I certainly did not say that.” During the same session, Engelbert even mentioned that she and Collier had exchanged text messages and were planning to meet the following week. But that remark, ESPN sources suggest, may have been the tipping point that led Collier to cancel the meeting altogether.

When Napheesa Collier declared on Tuesday that the WNBA had “the worst leadership in the world,” her words sent shockwaves through the league. Suddenly, questions about Cathy Engelbert’s job security were louder than ever. And the timing couldn’t have been worse. With the Oct. 31 CBA deadline fast approaching, the league is already walking a tightrope in its negotiations with the Players Association.

Engelbert has insisted that the league is making progress. She pointed to a “significant” salary increase offer already on the table. And she wasn’t exaggerating. WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike confirmed that the proposal includes raising the maximum base salary to at least $1 million, a 4x jump from what they are earning right now. On paper, it sounds groundbreaking. But players aren’t buying in. Their push isn’t just about higher salaries; it’s about fixing the structure itself. Right now, their cut of the league’s Basketball-Related Income sits at just 10%. What they want is a true revenue-sharing model–one that matches their impact on the growth of the game.

According to Engelbert, negotiations with the WNBPA are ongoing, and she remains confident a deal can be reached. That said, she hasn’t ruled out the possibility of an extension to finalize the agreement, as the October 31 deadline rapidly approaches. With tensions mounting, Engelbert’s job security has come under scrutiny, prompting her to address the matter publicly.

Cathy Engelbert Addresses Questions Surrounding Her Future

Since taking over as commissioner in July 2019, Cathy Engelbert has overseen a remarkable transformation of the WNBA’s business landscape. She navigated the league through the turbulent waters of the COVID-19 pandemic, orchestrated a historic $75 million capital raise, secured a groundbreaking $2.2 billion TV deal spanning 11 years, and ushered in an era of rapid expansion. But in today’s world, even the most impressive achievements can be overshadowed by missteps, and that’s exactly what the commissioner is facing right now.

But Cathy isn’t going anywhere… at least, that’s what she firmly believes. “I’ve never been a quitter. I’m entering my 40th year, actually this month, in business. I’ve never been a quitter, never shied away from tough situations. … I’m not going to shy away. I’m the commissioner of this league, leader of this league. I think we’ve accomplished a lot, but we have a lot more to do.”

While the business side of the WNBA continues to flourish, the league still faces plenty of challenges. Setting the CBA negotiations aside, players remain frustrated with officiating, and it certainly doesn’t help when the commissioner says, “Only the losers complain.” These are the issues Cathy Engelbert needs to tackle if she wants to secure her position. Otherwise, the next agenda in the upcoming CBA talks could very well involve discussions about replacing the commissioner. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!