If you have read Napheesa Collier over the years, she is generally a very reserved, mild-mannered, and calm individual off the court. So when she blasted Cathy Engelbert, it did feel like a shocker for us who have seen her beyond the hardwood. “I just got to the point where I was fed up,” Collier said. And the attack was so brutal that most consider her speech will go down as one of the defining moments of the ongoing CBA saga. One that Caitlin Clark described as “by far the most important moment in the league’s history.”

Journalist Megan L. Hall believes Collier’s words were a calculated approach. Speaking on the WNBA on NBC YouTube channel alongside host Natalie Esquire, Hall said, “This is a calculated decision by Phee to use her platform. She knew that there would be eyes on her, there would be media, and she had a platform that she knew, like, hey, no one was expecting this, so this is probably the time for me to lay things out.”

Think about this. The vice president of the WNBPA just took the world by storm by revealing her private conversations with the WNBA Commissioner, mentioning Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese to put pressure on Cathy Engelbert to act and make progress in the CBA negotiations that have been stuck since last year. You could argue that this was done to help Unrivaled grow, which is the popular belief right now. But that doesn’t really seem to be the case.

Hall continued saying, “I understand people’s arguments about, well, this is a conflict of interest with Unrivaled. This is a conflict of interest with all Phee does. And I really want people to think about, why would Napheesa Collier create a massive conflict of interest with players that she would potentially want to come play in her league?” Time and again, both Collier and Stewart have emphasized that Unrivaled was never meant to replace the WNBA.

“And if you think that she’s not going to help them in one and help them in the other, that just doesn’t make sense to me…Like this isn’t about necessarily Unrivaled because I think if it was, you wouldn’t have had the reports, months ago, about the Unrivaled asking the league if it wanted stake and equity in Unrivaled, right?” The Unrivaled is so far touted as a league built to offer better facilities and higher pay for WNBA players.

According to the founders, their goal isn’t to compete with the WNBA but to create a premier offseason option for players who want to stay home and earn more instead of going overseas. To make Unrivaled grow, Collier needs WNBA players on board—and losing their trust by promoting the league like this would make no sense. So what was the real intent behind her press conference?

The same reason everyone is speaking out against the commissioner right now….to help players get what they truly deserve. Hall further explained, “This was about elevating players. This was about making sure players get the money that they have… this isn’t even really about Napheesa Collier and the players now. This is about the players coming behind her as well. You have an entire generation of players who will need to benefit from the current CBA talks. And I think that’s getting lost in this conversation.”

Despite all the good Caitlin Clark has done for the league, boosting TV ratings, attendance, and merchandise sales–she earned just $78,066 this season. While her base salary will rise slightly to $85,873 in 2026, it’s hard to justify such a low figure when, according to a Deloitte report released earlier this year, the WNBA’s revenues are projected to surpass $1 billion in 2025. So, “She (Phee) is saying essentially, Hey, I want y’all to listen. I want y’all to pay attention to what’s happening.”

That’s why this upcoming CBA will be crucial in ensuring players finally get the money they truly deserve. Because, according to Phe,e “this has not been happening in good faith.” Hall then concluded, “from my opinion, for Phee, it is it is one of the most I would say calculated moves I’ve seen in recent history, and really across all sports.” That said, Clark’s coach believes people should stop using her name to push their own agendas.

Stephanie White believes Caitlin Clark is being used as a pawn

“I hate it all for Caitlin. She’s a 23-year-old kid who loves to play this game who is a pawn in a lot of other people’s games and a lot of other people’s narratives,” White told Jake Query on Friday’s show on 107.5 The Fan. “And I hate that for her.” While we can’t say for certain if Caitlin wanted to be part of this saga, it’s clear she has consistently been one of the biggest voices advocating for the league’s long-term growth.

Clark has always pushed for fair pay, improved officiating, better facilities, and a safer environment for all athletes. Collier, using the Indiana superstar’s name, has undeniably added pressure on the commissioner as well. We’ve seen Engelbert vow to rebuild trust with the players. She also promised a new multi-stakeholder task force to finally tackle the league’s officiating issues. That move likely came because she wouldn’t want the likes of Clark walking away from the league disappointed.

The league is at a crucial crossroads right now. No one really knows what it will look like in a few weeks. A lockout seems inevitable, given that there’s been little progress on an agreement before the Halloween deadline. You can see why Phee felt the need to speak out and put pressure on Engelbert. But will it actually lead to any change? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!