Engelbert to retire as WNBA commissioner
Dan Patrick shared his instant reaction to Cathy Engelbert announcing her retirement as WNBA commissioner at the end of 2026.
Engelbert to retire as WNBA commissioner originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
This just in.
Ray just gave it to me.
Cathy Engelbert will retire as WNBA Commissioner at the end of the 2026 season.
She spent seven years there, this according to ESPN.
Multiple high-ranking team sources had recently told ESPN they believe the 2026 season would likely be Engelbert's last, and Engelbert was, has ushered the WNBA into what she called hyper-growth mode, transforming the league into a significantly more prominent sports and entertainment property.
Her leadership had come into question over the past year.
Okay.
I'm not surprised at all, and, speaking to somebody off the record after what happened at Lake Tahoe when we waited for her for an interview, and I was told at the time, And I can say it now, but I was told at the time, she won't be around much longer.
Yeah, she was at the helm for a lot of great things there.
She was at the helm for some things that were to the detriment of the, league.
She was at the helm a- when Caitlin Clark fell into her lap.
I just hope we don't look back 15 years from now and say, "Man, did they not take advantage of a golden opportunity."
We got caught up in all of this ancillary stuff, and there's a lot of people who make their living by bringing up the ancillary stuff.
I challenge them, if you truly care about the WNBA, let me know when you talk about the actual WNBA, the players, the games.
That's, that's growth.
That's when you're talking about you want the league to succeed instead of, this is low-hanging fruit, and I can talk about this for a long time.
And I think that that's what's happened here, that you have, you have a certain group of people who have grabbed the league and they have used it for their advantage, not the league's.
But that's where whoever's taking over for Kathy Engelberg, they need to grab that back and we need to continue to grow the game.
We need to continue to understand just how good these players are.
It's not, not a one-person league, but that one person is really, really, really important.
And I think protecting everybody is important, but I think keeping a, a closer eye on Caitlin Clark, if I'm running the league, if I'm the commissioner, I'm going to do that.
I don't need to be overt in that, but I also need to watch and understand.
If I was gonna keep an eye on Steph Curry, I, I don't have to tell anybody I'm keeping an eye.
I just wanna make sure that he's officiated the same way as everybody else because I'm shocked that NBA players haven't roughed up Steph Curry throughout his career because he's slight.
He is unbelievable at if he gets his shot, he's gonna make his shot.
So Caitlin Clarke modeled her game after, well, one of the people she model-modeled her game after was Steph Curry.
But s- you know, we're allowed to rough up Caitlin Clark far more than players rough up Steph Curry.
But they're both meal tickets.
I mean, when Steph Curry's playing at a high level, we're watching.
But nothing compares to the eyeballs if somebody else is playing to when Caitlin Clark is playing.
You gotta make sure that you're aware of special rules for special players.
And I remember talking to a former league official who said that.
You know, there are certain players who earn that right.
David Stern, the former NBA commissioner talked about that.
Certain players have earned a certain right.
That doesn't mean I'm gonna give you calls.
I'm not gonna make phantom calls.
I'm not gonna punish somebody else.
But we've allowed for the physicality in the WNBA to go where I'm shocked that they're allowing it to go.
Interaction with officials, it's combative out there.
I like competitive, but they've allowed this to get outta hand, and we, we saw this coming 'cause I've been talking about it.
The WNBA is more physical than the NBA.
They allow you to be more physical.
And I think Cathy did a poor job in the moment, and, and was never available.
Now forget what I-- You know, I pointed it out because I really wanted to allow her to explain what's going on.
And we were told yes.
And so when I wait two hours, when I promise the audience she's gonna come on the show, you know, there's certain respect that has to be on both ends of this.
You know?
If, if she came over to me in Tahoe and said, "Look, it's not the right time.
I apologize.
I'll make it up to you," I never would've said that publicly.
But when you h- you know, keep me and my, my crew for two hours, we're waiting for you, then we get a message that says, PR has said that she shouldn't do this.
And then she goes and hits, you know, golf balls out of a bunker and she's 100 feet away from our set and doesn't walk over and say, "Hey, I'm sorry about that."
Show respect.
You want respect, show respect, and you lost respect in that moment.
And we, we I, I'm just like, how can she not just walk over here?
I'm not going over to you.
You needed to come over to me.
But her retirement, I think that this will be an interesting Thirty For 30.
Marvin said that, w- what role do I get?
Do I get a cameo in the Thirty For 30 on Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA, Marv?
They definitely come up to Milford And have a sit-down with you Oh, you do?
You think so they come to the man cave.
I Or if they don't come down and sit with you, they show the clip from the show.
Yeah, I don't want I would not wa- wanna be part of that.
I was just disappointed because I've followed this.
I followed women's basketball.
I mean, I go back, I think I brought this up, when Immaculata won the national title.
I think Mary Ellen Stanley was, you know , th- the star.
Lucy Harris, Annie Donovan.
I mean, I can run down the list because it, it is important.
And to see the growth and see greatness.
You know, Taurasi and Sue Bird and Cooper and, you know, Sheryl Miller, you know, all of that.
That's what bothered me probably more than anything, is I've been a I'm, I'm not somebody who's gonna take these salacious details or things off the court, and run with them.
I'm just not going to do that.
I won't do that.
I wanna celebrate the game.
And, you know, she, she disappointed I was really disappointed in her, you know.
Roger Goodell doesn't wanna come on the show.
He doesn't say, "I'll come on the show," then two hours later say, "PR told me not to."
So I respect he doesn't wanna come on the show.
He may not like my line of questioning.
He may not like me.
Who knows?
It's okay.
But if you tell me you're coming on, then put on your big boy pants and sit in the chair and let me ask you questions.
That's all.
And when she didn't do that, I, I was disappointed, really.
I was surprised probably 'cause this was the opportunity.
You're gonna actually sit down with somebody who celebrates the game.
And yes, would I ask tough questions?
Yes.
But these are questions that your PR department is going to ask you to prep you for this.
So a long-winded way of saying Cathy Engelbert according to the mothership will, step down at the end of the year as the WNBA commissioner
