CHICAGO — WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was evasive when requested immediately throughout her pre-All-Star Sport press convention if she expects to be commissioner in 2027. “I’m so blessed to be on the helm of this league throughout this unbelievable hypergrowth interval,” Engelbert stated. “I’ll simply proceed to do my job, execute the technique as a result of it has been working.”Â
Listed here are Engelbert’s full feedback:
“Clearly I’m so blessed to be on the helm of this league throughout this unbelievable hypergrowth interval, so blessed that these gamers are placing the product on the courtroom they’re each evening, that they stand for the values that the W has lengthy searched for. I’ll simply proceed to do my job, execute the technique as a result of it has been working. Make certain we hearken to the gamers, talk with the gamers.Â
“Completely love this league. Blessed to have the profession I had earlier than, blessed to have the profession I’ve now. Principally the staff we have constructed on the league. I got here in right here and there have been 12 individuals working on the league, and there have been in all probability 12 individuals for the 24 years earlier than I acquired right here and now we have now virtually 100 individuals working full time. We now have a number of others that assist us. We leverage off the NBA mannequin as nicely. And simply the big functionality we have in-built digital and social. We now have engineers, we have now WordPress and we have now entrepreneurs and model and knowledge, analytics, knowledge scientists.Â
“That is what I am most happy with. We now have constructed a powerhouse staff and that is what I give attention to is main that staff and main that staff to assist this sport proceed to develop in order that younger women who usually drop out of sports activities too fast can see see our gamers as their position fashions. That is what retains me going. Having the Nike Nationwide EYBL gamers right here has been unbelievable as a result of I’ve frolicked with so lots of them at WNBA Reside and the lodge and simply how they view this league and position fashions. I can not let you know what number of come as much as me and say ‘Cathy, I would like you to draft me in 2033 or 2034, and I am like ‘Oh boy.’ They’re actually enthusiastic about this league, and that is what retains me going.”
Engelbert has been in cost since 2019, when she turned the primary commissioner in WNBA historical past (beforehand, the league’s prime govt was a “president.”) Whereas she has overseen important progress throughout her tenure, she has come underneath important fireplace lately amid a contentious labor battle and quite a few off-court controversies.Â
“We now have the most effective gamers on this planet. We now have the most effective followers on this planet, however proper now we have now the worst management on this planet,” Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier stated final September.Â
Adam Silver says NBA, WNBA are having ‘ongoing discussions’ about Cathy Engelbert’s future as commissioner
Lindsay Gibbs
At a press convention at NBA Summer time League earlier this month, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was requested about Engelbert’s future. Whereas he stated he was “happy” with the WNBA’s progress, he added that there could be “ongoing discussions” on Engelbert. Listed here are Silver’s full feedback:
So Cathy and I, you recognize, work collectively, and I do not wish to communicate for Cathy. I might solely say, I am more than happy with the place the WNBA is. We have made large progress underneath her management over the past a number of years. Once more, the season, we’re off once more to a really robust begin.
I believe my sense was — I used to be behind the scenes within the collective bargaining course of, however I used to be happy each with how the league carried out itself and finally the Gamers Affiliation. I believe that we reset economically, which was lengthy overdue. My sense is from speaking immediately with the gamers that they’re happy with the end result.
As I stated, I believe Cathy continues to do a powerful job constructing that league. We’ll have ongoing discussions about what the longer term appears like.
An ESPN report simply forward of All-Star Weekend cited a number of “high-ranking staff sources” who count on that this shall be Engelbert’s final season in cost.Â
“I do not see any change [since Collier’s comments],” one nameless proprietor informed ESPN. “I do not suppose she’s realized considerably based mostly on her failures.”
On Friday, WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike expressed empathy for Engelbert and stated that it wasn’t her determination whether or not or not she remained as commissioner. Nevertheless, she didn’t sound happy with the present state of affairs.
“I believe rising pains are pure,” Ogwumike stated. “However at what level do these turn out to be continual? You recognize, after some time, for those who’re nonetheless experiencing these signs, you need to do one thing to alleviate that kind of ache, and that is what the gamers are asking for.”
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