The WNBA has been booming the most in the last couple of years. Unfortunately, with the CBA negotiations going on, things are looking extremely dark for the league. Only recently, the WNBA delayed its All-Defensive team announcement amid Cathy Engelbert’s criticism.
However, as the days go by, things are getting worse. With the athletes showing visible frustrations about the WNBA commissioner, Engelbert has declined to step away from her duties. In a recent turn of events, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier had called out Engelbert. However, as things stand now, it looks like the WNBA commissioner is here to stay.
Cathy Engelbert Will Stay With The WNBA
The WNBA commissioner has been facing some significant criticisms for a number of reasons. Engelbert recently received a lot of flak from Scott Van Pelt, who backed Caitlin Clark after the bold comment. And now, in her recent statement, the 60-year-old has tried to address all the accusations coming her way. Initially, she denied having spoken ill of Clark and insisted that her statements were misrepresented. Next up, the WNBA commissioner affirmed that she will continue to show his loyalty to the league.
“I’ve never been a quitter, never shied away from tough situations,” Engelbert said. “I think leadership, the cream always rises to the top and I’ve always been someone who believes in the fact that we have, if there’s things we need to fix, we’re going to fix ’em. If there’s things the players have a perspective on that they don’t like that we’re doing or I’m doing, we’ll fix”
Cathy Engelbert address reports regarding a potential resignation after the completion of a CBA deal. pic.twitter.com/frNothMu05
— Khristina Williams (@Khristina) October 3, 2025
Surely, the WNBA is facing a critical situation at the moment. As the CBA deadline in October is nearing, it is imperative that the two sides reach a conclusion. Otherwise, there is a high chance of the league experiencing a work stoppage. Meanwhile, the entire fiasco surrounding Engelbert came up after Collier’s statement. Here’s what she had to say.
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Napheesa Collier Lashes Out At Cathy Engelbert For Alleged Poor Management
The Minnesota Lynx had a heartbreak as they crashed out of the competition. However, during the exit interview, Collier had some special words to share. And that soon became a full-blown controversy as she targeted Engelbert. She accused the league of having the ‘worst leadership in the world.’ Quickly, the statement received support from a host of prominent athletes in the WNBA.
“The real threat to our league isn’t money. It isn’t ratings or even missed calls or even physical play. It’s the lack of accountability from the league office. Since I’ve been in the league, you’ve heard the constant concerns about officiating, and it has now reached levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity in which it operates. Whether the league cares about the health of the players is one thing, but to also not care about the product we put on the floor is truly self-sabotage,” said Collier.
Surely, things are looking extremely problematic in the league at the moment. With the athletes showing widespread frustration, and now Engelbert declining to resign, the tensions are expected to reach an all-time high. It will now be interesting to see how things pan out in the future.