Napheesa Collier’s fiery speech, criticizing Cathy Engelbert, opened up a new topic in the CBA discussion. As the player showed no trust in the leadership, the discussion stalled, and the talk of a lockdown started to resurface in the WNBA.
Many players, including rookies such as Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, and veterans like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, showed their support for Collier. The WNBPA president, Nneka Ogwumike, praised her vice president during a recent interview.
Nneka Ogwumike Praises Napheesa Collier
Cathy Engelbert tried to normalize the situation with her short reply and comments on Clark’s earnings. While NBA Commissioner Adam Silver showed support for Engelbert, he also mentioned that the situation is far worse than it appeared on the screen to fans.
Talking on the subject in the ‘Bird’s Eye View’ podcast, Ogwumike mentioned that the steps were bold and needed for the transformational change. She praised Collier’s leadership also.
“I think what Napheesa did was an exceptional display of that leadership of speaking truth to power in a way that she can be heard. You know, we’ve had players do it in the past,” Ogwumike expressed
“I agreed with what Napheesa said. I think everybody has a way of communicating, and I think she really spoke a lot of the sentiments that the players had been expressing. She took it upon herself to use her platform in a way that was monumental and is going to contribute to the transformational change that we’re going to see. I think that there was still much to be wanted from Cathy’s comments,” The veteran forward added.
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The WNBA is aiming to finalize the CBA deal before October 31 to ensure a smooth start to the upcoming season. However, after the 28-year-old forward’s speech, many players also voiced their concerns over the WNBA leadership, raising questions about the accountability of Engelbert.
Moreover, the former UConn star cancelled a meeting with the WNBA president, which highlighted the broken relationships between the two important members in the CBA discussion. Former WNBPA vice president, Kelsey Plum, even suggested that there will be a lockdown in the 2026 season.
Napheesa Collier Opens Up On Cancelling Meeting With Cathy Engelbert
After her speech, the former Defensive Player of the Year winner was ready for some harsh answers. However, Cathy Engelbert chose to have a personal meeting, which Colier initially accepted but later refused to attend. In a recent interview, the forward talked about the reason for backing out of the meeting.
“For her to start her speech saying she has the utmost respect for me and for the players, and then to turn around and call me a liar three minutes later … denying words that I heard come straight out of her mouth. I think it just speaks to that lack of accountability, and so I really have nothing further to say. I think she encapsulated what I was talking about in my statement,” Collier said.
The WNBA season is nearly over, with three weeks remaining for the CBA Deal’s conclusion. Without a CBA, offseason trades will not be possible, and players are also ready to sit out, making it difficult for the league to maintain control over the situation.