Napheesa Collier delivered a blistering assessment of the WNBA and its commissioner on Tuesday as she sat in front of the media with a prepared statement, disclosing private conversations she said she had with Cathy Engelbert that portrayed her as a leader who lacks accountability.
The Minnesota Lynx star spoke for more than four minutes on topics ranging from Caitlin Clark — and her value to the league — to inconsistent officiating, which she feels Engelbert and the WNBA haven’t addressed.
“We have the best league in the world. We have the best fans in the world. But we have the worst leadership in the world,” the runner-up for MVP said. “Year after year, the only thing that remains consistent is the lack of accountability from our leaders.”
During what typically would be a routine end-of-season media availability, Collier blasted Engelbert as a leader who is insensitive to the current realities of being a WNBA player. Her remarks came as the WNBA players union, for which Collier is a vice president, prepares to engage the league in highly contentious collective bargaining that will set the parameters for a league trying to keep up with its unprecedent growth and global interest.
“If I didn’t know exactly what the job entailed, maybe I wouldn’t feel this way,” Collier said. “But unfortunately for them, I do believe we serve a league that has shown they think championship coaches and Hall of Fame players are dispensable, and that’s fine. It’s professional sports, but I will not stand quietly by and allow different standards to be applied at the league level.”
Engelbert responded to Collier in a statement not long after the media session, saying she was disheartened by “how Napheesa characterized our conversations,” but was committed to her job and “will not waver.”
“I have the utmost respect for Napheesa Collier and for all the players in the WNBA,” Engelbert wrote. “Together we have all worked tirelessly to transform this league. My focus remains on ensuring a bright future for the players and the WNBA, including collaborating on how we continue to elevate the game.”
Things have been heated in Minnesota as of late. The Lynx were eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday in a Game 4 that Collier missed with an ankle injury and her coach, Cheryl Reeve, missed because she was suspended for her behavior toward officials in Game 3.
Reeve also received what was believed to be the heftiest fine for an individual coach or player in league history, according to a person familiar with the penalty who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an official announcement hadn’t been made yet.
Wings fire coach: The Dallas Wings fired coach Chris Koclanes on Tuesday after going 10-34 in his only season, even with No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers winning WNBA Rookie of the Year honors. Koclanes had more than a decade of experience as an assistant coach in the WNBA and Division I women’s basketball.
“With new team facilities being built, a youthful roster under contract, and the rights to three first-round draft selections over the next two seasons, including a lottery pick in 2026, the Wings are well-positioned for future success,” former Sun coach Curt Miller, the team’s executive vice president and general manager, said in a statement announcing the move. “As we enter a pivotal point in our team’s future, we felt a change in leadership at this time was best for our organization.”
New TV deal: The WNBA has another broadcast partner after signing an 11-year media rights deal with Versant to show regular-season games and portions of the playoffs beginning next year on USA Network. As part of the multi-year agreement, which runs through 2036, USA Network will present at least 50 games annually, including coverage of the WNBA Playoffs and WNBA Finals games in select years beginning in 2026.
