Amid critical conversations for a new collective bargaining agreement, the WNBA’s players association and leadership have reached a boiling point.
Last week, Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier put the league's leadership, and specifically commissioner Cathy Engelbert, on blast during her team's exit interviews. She called out Engelbert for a "lack of accountability from the league office," highlighting issues she's seen with the league on topics like officiating and stalled CBA discussions.
Tensions were strained even further when Engelbert denied saying specific comments Collier alleged she made as she addressed the media ahead of the WNBA Finals. Engelbert said the two were bound to meet to talk through the issues at hand, but Collier reportedly canceled the discussion after the commissioner's press conference.
The NBA owns a large chunk of the WNBA, and their commissioner Adam Silver recently weighed in on the dispute between the W's players and Engelbert.
"I think it's unfortunate, particularly at this moment when as the league we'd love all the attention to be on these incredible Finals," Silver said via the Boston Globe's Gary Washburn. "We saw two fantastic games and the quality of play on the floor has never been greater. We do need to sit down and negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with these players.
"The WNBA is experiencing some growth pains. At the same time Cathy Engelbert has presided over six years of some of the strongest growth we've not only seen in the WNBA but any sports league in history. But it's become too personal and we're going to have to work through those issues and of course I'll be available to help in any way I can."
The NBA's commissioner said he's not planning to interject at the moment and stressed the importance of the WNBA reaching a new CBA ahead of the current deal's expiration after this season.
Quickly after Collier's monologue, a Sports Business Journal report said that Engelbert is "likely" to exit as the league's commissioner upon the ratification of a new CBA. She took office in 2019 and helped shepherd the league through the COVID-19 pandemic and rapid expansion in the years following.
More WNBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Adam Silver Opens Up on 'Unfortunate' Situation Between WNBA Players, Commissioner.
