Napheesa Collier didn’t exactly hold back about her views on the WNBA’s brass in a post-season exit interview — and she had some choice words about the league’s commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, to boot.
The Minnesota Lynx star went scorched-earth in her statement, and claimed the WNBA managed to have “the worst leadership in the world” despite having some of the best players and fans out there, according to CBS Sports.
Collier claimed the WNBA’s brass, including Engelbert, wasn’t looking out for their players’ best interests and described the attitude taken towards athletes’ concerns as “dismissive.”
The athlete claimed she’d had a conversation with Engelbert in February in which the latter brushed off her concerns about issues with officiating games.
Oh, and she also alleged the commissioner stated Caitlin Clark should have been “grateful” to play in the league despite her official salary not being reflective of the popularity she brought to the WNBA.
It reportedly only took a few hours for Engelbert to respond to Collier’s comments, and the commissioner claimed she was “disheartened” by the athlete’s remarks.
She added she had “the utmost respect” for both Collier and the rest of the players in the WNBA before writing she wanted to ensure “a bright future” for the league’s athletes.