While the WNBA is entering the most crucial stage of the season — with the Mercury and Aces battling it out in the Finals — the spotlight briefly shifted elsewhere. Napheesa Collier, one of the league’s most prominent stars, delivered a strong rebuke directed at league officials, including Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
During a press conference following her team’s playoff elimination, the Minnesota Lynx star didn’t hold back, outlining several key issues she believes the league must address in the short term. Far from dodging the criticism, Engelbert was quick to respond to Collier’s remarks.
“If the players in the W don’t feel appreciated and valued by the league, then we have to do better and I have to do better,” she said, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou.
Additionally, the commissioner made a brief reference to officiating — one of the main concerns raised not only by Collier, but also by several of her fellow players and even some coaches, who have been openly critical in recent weeks.
“It’s pretty clear that we’re misaligned currently on what our stakeholders want from officiating,” Cathy Engelbert said, per Philippou.
The beginning of a major dispute
Minnesota Lynx forward and WNBA Players Association Vice President Napheesa Collier delivered a scathing critique of the league’s front office this week, declaring the WNBA has the “worst leadership in the world.”
In a bold, prepared statement, Collier specifically called out Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for a “lack of accountability” concerning issues like inconsistent officiating—which Collier asserts undermines the sport’s integrity—and player safety, especially after her own season-ending injury.
The All-Star also revealed private conversations where Engelbert allegedly told her that “only the losers complain about the refs” and suggested star players like Caitlin Clark should be “grateful” for their platform, remarks Collier characterized as a “tone-deaf, dismissive approach.”
Collier’s public challenge, which comes as the league’s collective bargaining agreement nears its expiration, has ignited a firestorm of debate and garnered support from fellow players, placing immense pressure on the WNBA’s executive leadership to address the players’ concerns about governance and transparency.