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Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham have added their names to the chorus of voices that have been critical of WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Engelbert has been under fire ever since being put on blast by Minnesota Lynx Napheesa Collier.
In her searing end-of-season comments on Tuesday, September 30, Napheesa Collier — a five-time NBA All-Star and the 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year — shared a prepared statement about Engelbert, who she accused of saying that stars such as Caitlin Clark should be “on their knees” thanking the WNBA for the platform they’ve provided.
After Collier’s statement, Engelbert has receiving criticism from both sports journalists and analysts, and star players within the league, with Clark and Cunningham being the latest to publicly criticize the embattled commissioner.
Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham become latest WNBA players to publicly comment on embattled commissioner Cathy Engelbert
“I just think they’re failing us as a league, definitely failing us as players,” Cunningham said. “Everything that Napheesa (Collier) said, we all feel that way, and we’re all going to back her, and I think that’s pretty strong coming from her. I think a lot of us have been saying that, but when it comes from someone of that caliber of a player that we’re being serious.”
“I think it’s pretty shameful that she (Engelbert) always makes it about her, when it should have nothing to do with her,” she added.
On Instagram, Sophie Cunningham also commented on a post saying “People only know Cathy [Engelbert] because of C [Clark] — She’s the most delusional leader our league has seen.”
Caitlin Clark, arguably the biggest star the sport has ever had, also put her weight behind Collier’s comments.
“I have great respect for (Collier) and I think she made a lot of very valid points,” Clark said. “What people need to understand is that we need great leadership in this time across all levels. This is straight up the most important moment in this league’s history, where this league has been around for 25-plus years, and this is a moment we have to capitalize on.”
Despite mounting pressure from both inside and outside the league, Engelbert has not resigned from her position as league commissioner.