Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier threw the gauntlet at WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert in a powerful speech delivered during her exit interview. Collier criticized the WNBA leadership for its lack of accountability and called out Engelbert's tenure as head of the association.
Aside from that, Phee also revealed a private conversation that she had with Englebert, in which the WNBA commissioner allegedly said that Caitlin Clark would earn nothing without the WNBA platform and that the WNBA players should be thankful that she landed them a new TV deal.
Engelbert issued a statement saying she has the utmost respect for Collier and every other WNBA player. But just as she said, the former two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne backed Collier's allegations by saying the commissioner didn't bother contacting her when she retired.
Delle Donne was hard to miss because, for one, she stood tall at 6'5". Elena is also a two-time WNBA MVP, a one-time WNBA champion, a seven-time All-Star, a four-time All-WNBA first team selection, a member of the WNBA's 25th Anniversary Team, the 2013 WNBA Rookie of the Year, and the first WNBA player to join the elite 50-40-90 club.
Due to injuries, Elena stepped away from the WNBA in 2024, leaving a one-year supermax offer from the Washington Mystics on the table. Last April, she announced that she was retiring from the league. She said her peers wished her well, but Commissioner Englebert never contacted her when she decided to walk away from the game.
"It's the care for the human part for me," she wrote on Instagram. "I'm still not sure if Cathy knows I'm retired. Heard from everyone but her."
Although Clark, whom Engelbert reportedly spoke out against, had no comment on Phee's statement, it wasn't just Delle Donne who showed support for her. Chicago Sky 's Angel Reese wrote " 10/10. No notes ." on "X".
At the same time, Los Angeles Sparks standout Dearica Hamby said to Napheesa, "Thank you for your bravery." Meanwhile, Clark's Fever teammate Lexie Hull reiterated Collier's call for a change.
"I think, when it comes down to it, I think I agree with everything she said," said Hull. "This is a really important time in the league, and changes need to be made. And so you're seeing her talk about that, and you're really proud of her for making that statement today. We're the players who are driving this change. And regardless of how it's said, I think the messaging stands the same from the player's perspective. Things need to change, reffing needs to change, leadership needs to change."
The players' criticism of Engelbert and her regime comes at a crucial time for the WNBA. The CBA expires at the end of this month and according to the latest update, the two sides are far from agreeing to a new deal. It will be interesting to see how Collier's hostile words toward the WNBA commissioner affect the signing of a new deal.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
