WBNA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has been slammed over he feud with Napheesa Collier.

Engelbert, 60, has faced significant criticism over her comments made ahead of the 2025 WNBA finals.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to the media.
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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has faced criticism from several WNBA starsCredit: Getty

Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner, wearing a white shirt and black tie, sits on a court with a headline about her first statement since Napheesa Collier's comments.
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ESPN’s Andraya Carter is the latest to call Engelbert outCredit: ESPN
Her latest comments have drawn the attention of ESPN reporter Andraya Carter, 31.

Minnesota Lynx power forward Collier, 29, has publicly ridiculed the commissioner’s leadership.

Collier has claimed that the WNBA has the best players and fans in the world.

But, she argues that Engelbert’s leadership is holding the league back.

It had also been reported that Engelbert said Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, 22, should be grateful for her influence over the league.

Suggestions had been made that Engelbert demanded more respect after landing multiple sponsorship deals for Clark.

However, Engelbert has denied making this statement.

ESPN’s Carter has now taken aim at the commissioner for her response to these claims.

“When you are asked a question, you should probably answer that question,” Carter said.

“And when Malika asked, ‘Did you say’ and then quoted Cathy, Cathy didn’t say, ‘No, I didn’t say that.’ If you didn’t say that, that should be the first.”

Carter’s criticism came during ESPN’s Game 1 coverage of the WNBA finals between the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury.

The Aces are 2-0 up in the finals series after cruising to a 13-point Game 2 win.

They will now travel to Phoenix with the hopes of wrapping up the 2025 title.

Is There a Conflict of Interest as Napheesa Collier Battles WNBA Commissioner?

Engelbert was appointed as the WNBA’s first commissioner in July 2019 after four years as Deloitte’s first female CEO.

Her tenure has seen widespread growth, but tensions are now rising over a proposed new collective bargaining agreement.

Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, 29, has also hit out at the commissioner.

Cunningham has defended her teammate Clark from Engelbert’s supposed comments.

Reporter Carter remains unsatisfied with the commissioner’s media responses as the controversy continues.

“Instead, she said, ‘There have been a lot of inaccurate statements’,” Carter added. “I just have more questions. What is the answer? I’m not feeling confident.”

This has created a significant rift between the WNBA’s players and management.