Pak Gazette presenter Brian Kilmeade intervenes in the treatment that Caitlin Clark has received since he entered the WNBA and how the league has managed it in ‘The Big Weekend Show’.
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The previous comments of the WNBA Cathy Engelbert commissioner on the League and the Potential for the Income of the Indiana Caitlin Clark superstar, during a CNBC interview, resurfaced on social networks on Friday.
The previous comments came to light after Engelbert denied that he allegedly told Minnesota Lynx Naphesa Collier that Clark “should be grateful to win $ 16 million out of the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives him, he would do nothing,” according to Collier.
While Engelbert denied making that alleged statement during a press conference on Friday, his previous comments during an interview at the CNBC Changemakers summit in April 2024 echoed similar issues.
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Caitlin Clark poses with the WNBA Cathy Engelbert commissioner after she is selected as the general selection number 1 by Indiana fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft in Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York, on April 15, 2024. (Brad Penner/USA Today Sports)
“Caitlin has the ability to recover up to half a million dollars only in WNBA salaries this year. So, of course, they are just looking at a base that is collectively bargaining. And in reality it is low because it is the number 1 choice, she will do a little more than that,” said Engelbert.
“She also has millions and millions of dollars [in] Endorsements. Because he declared that he became pro, his endorsements are higher in dollars, now he has a global platform, not just an American platform, so he will work well as well as the best players in the league as each league does. “
The previous comments of Engelbert occurred a few days after Clark was selected with the number 1 team in the 2024 WNBA Draft for the fever. The base salary of Clark’s WNBA that year was only $ 76,535.
Clark signed an eight -year contract and $ 28 million with Nike that signed in April 2024 also, before playing a game in the WNBA, and had previous agreements with Nike and other sponsors during his university career in Iowa.
The commissioner faced an immense fans reaction, media experts and even active players after Collier made accusations that Engelbert said Clark should be “grateful” and “would do nothing” without the WNBA last week, what Collier said he entered a private conversation.
Collier also claimed that Engelbert said: “The players should be on your knees, thanking their lucky stars for the agreement of the rights of the media that I obtain them.”
While heading to the alleged comments about Clark, Engelbert denied having done them.
“Obviously, I did not make those comments. Caitlin has been a transformation player in this league. He has been a great representative of the game. He has brought dozens of millions of new fans to the game,” said Engelbert at Friday’s press conference.
However, Engelbert did not explicitly refuse to make the alleged comments on the players who “should be on his knees.” Instead, the commissioner replied claiming that there have been many “inaccuracies” in the media.
“There is a lot of inaccuracy through social networks and all these reports,” said Engelbert. “Many reports, a lot of inacutation about what I say, what I didn’t say.”
Within the impact of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese on male basketball
The star of Minnesota Lynx, Naphesa Collier, has been Franco on the recent comments of the WNBA Cathy Engelbert Commissioner. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn images)
Engelbert later said: “I am discouraged. I am a human too. I have a family. I have two children who are devastated by these comments. So, all I say is that it has obviously been a difficult week, and I think there is a lot of innaciation out there.”
Even so, Engelbert acknowledged that if the players do not feel “appreciated”, then he has to do better. “
“I was discouraged to hear that some players feel the league and that they don’t care or listen to them,” said Engelbert before game 1 of the WNBA finals on Friday night.
“If the players in the ‘W’ do not feel appreciated and the value of the league, we have to do better, and I have to do better.”
The WNBA and its union of players, the WNBPA, are in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.
The Association of Players and the WNBA agreed an eight -year agreement in 2020, but last year the WNBPA voted to choose not to participate in the early agreement. The current agreement expires on October 31.
