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The WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, went to an alleged conversation that was revealed by the Napheesa Collier player, who claimed that Engelbert said. “[Caitlin Clark] It should be grateful. She wins $ 16 million out of the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she would do nothing. “
Engelbert said at a press conference on Friday that he did not make those comments.
“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.
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The WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, speaks during a press conference before the WNBA All-Star basketball game, on Saturday, July 19, 2025, in Indianapolis. (Michael Conroy/AP photo)
Collier also claimed that Engelbert said: “The players should be on your knees, thanking their stars of luck for the agreement of the rights of the media that I obtain them.”
Engelbert also addressed these alleged comments, claiming that there have been many “inaccuracies” in the media, but did not explicitly denied having made those supposed comments as he did with the alleged comments of Clark.
“There is a lot of inacuration through social networks and all these reports,” said Engelbert. “Many reports, a lot of inacutation about what I say, what I didn’t say.”
Naphesa Collier de Lynx against WNBA leadership, demands official changes
Indiana’s fever guard, Caitlin Clark (22), plays against the Dallas Wings in the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, on Sunday, September 15, 2024. (Michael Conroy, file/photo ap)
Engelbert then said: “I am discouraged. I am a human too. I have a family. I have two children devastated by these comments. So everything I say is that it has obviously been a difficult week and I think there is a lot of innacture 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 currently in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.
Caitlin Clark poses with the WNBA Cathy Engelbert commissioner after it is selected as the general selection number 1 by the 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)
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 must expire on October 31.
