By Nicholas Mullick,Total Apex Sports

Copyright yardbarker

It looks like the walls are closing in on WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. If you believe the whispers—and they’re getting louder by the minute—her time at the helm is drawing to a close. After a tenure marked by unprecedented growth and, apparently, equally unprecedented friction, it seems the upcoming CBA negotiations will be her last major act.

The Noise Is getting Louder

Things really boiled over when Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, a vice president on the players’ union executive committee, decided she’d had enough. She didn’t just criticize the league; she took a flamethrower to the commissioner’s office.

And what a statement it was. Collier didn’t just hint at problems; she provided receipts. She detailed a conversation where Engelbert allegedly dismissed officiating complaints with, “Well, only the losers complain about the refs.” You can almost hear the eye-rolls from every player who’s ever been hammered on a drive to the basket with no call.

It gets better. When asked about the laughably low rookie salaries for stars like Caitlin Clark, who are bringing in millions for the league, Engelbert’s supposed response was that Clark should be “grateful” for her off-court earnings. To top it all off, Collier claims the commissioner told her, “Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.”. Yikes.

The Problem with a “Business-First” Approach

The league, of course, shot back with a swift denial, calling the report of her likely exit “categorically false.” Engelbert herself said she was “disheartened” by Collier’s characterization of their talks. But here’s the thing: when it’s not just one player, but a chorus of them, along with coaches, all echoing similar frustrations, you have to wonder where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Sources describe Engelbert as a “wicked smart business person” who gets credit for the league’s financial success. The numbers don’t lie: franchise values are up, revenue is projected to hit a billion dollars, and a massive media rights deal is in place. On paper, she’s a roaring success, but its clear there is a dark side.

Being a commissioner isn’t just about spreadsheets and P&L statements. It’s about people. It’s about building relationships with the players who are the product. It’s about understanding that you lead because of them, not in spite of them. One source put it bluntly:

“She hasn’t connected; she’s not a relationship builder, which you have to be in that job… a commissioner has to have a personality element that can touch every constituent.”

What Happens Now?

With the CBA expiring and negotiations heating up, the timing couldn’t be worse for the league—or better for the players. They’re heading to the bargaining table with a unified front and a clear message: the current leadership is failing them. This isn’t just about money anymore; it’s about respect, safety, and having a voice.

Lexie Hull of the Indiana Fever backed Collier, saying, “where the players see the league going is different than where leadership sees the league going.” That’s a canyon-sized gap to bridge.

Final Thoughts

So, while Cathy Engelbert might have secured the bag for the WNBA, she seems to have lost the locker room, the sidelines, and the trust of the very people who make the league worth watching. The business of basketball is booming, but the spirit of it feels broken. And as the CBA battle looms, it’s hard to see how she can effectively lead a league that seems to have already decided it wants to move on without her. Her victory lap might just be a walk out the door.