A row has erupted in WNBA following comments made by Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier about her conversation with the league's commissioner, Cathy Engelbert. Collier blasted the WNBA and the Commissioner as she spoke to the press on Tuesday during her exit interview.
Among other things, Collier alleged that Commissioner Engelbert made a shocking claim about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, two of the rookie stars in WNBA who, thanks to their huge popularity in college, brought a lot of new audience into the league over the last two seasons.
Napheesa Collier revealed that she spoke to Commissioner Engelbert about the salaries of such star players being so low in the first four years due to league restrictions, despite athe revenue they bring in. She said that Cathy Engelbart told her that players like Reese and Clark should be "grateful" to the WNBA for giving them the platform to shine.
"I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin (Clark), Angel (Reese), and Paige (Bueckers), who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years," Collier said.
"Her response was that ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes 16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything’. In that same conversation, she told me that 'players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deals that I got them.'"
Collier Slams WNBA Over Lack Of Leadership
{{/usCountry}}"Her response was that ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes 16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything’. In that same conversation, she told me that 'players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deals that I got them.'"
Collier Slams WNBA Over Lack Of Leadership
{{/usCountry}}Collier, who was injured by hard contact at Game 3 of the playoff series with the Phoenix Mercury, met the press on Monday with an official statement on her injury. In the process, she spoke about the recent controversies in the league, especially surrounding officiating and wrong calls.
Also read: Will Caitlin Clark miss the WNBA playoffs? Injury timeline and 2025 season status update
She said that the "lack of accountability" caused by what she referred to as "negligence" is costing the league. The 2025 WNBA All-Star game MVP didn't hold back her words as she made a series of allegations against the Commissioner Cathy Engelbart and the league office.
"The real threat to our league isn't money, it isn't ratings, or even missed calls or physical play. It's about accountability from the league office," she said.
"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," she continued, adding, "ear after year, the only thing that remains consistent is the lack of accountability from our leaders."