Cathy Engelbert appears to be digging her heels in as WNBA commissioner.
Engelbert spoke with reporters on Friday ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury. During the press conference, Engelbert addressed the rumors about her potentially coming to the end of her time as commissioner of the league.
“That’s another inaccurate statement out there,” said Engelbert. “Obviously, I’ve never been a quitter …. Never shied away from tough situations. I think leadership, the cream always rises to the top. I’ve always been someone who believes in the fact that [if] there’s things we need to fix, we’ll fix them.”
Here is the full clip of Engelbert’s remarks.
Cathy Engelbert on whether she expects to continue being the WNBA Commissioner
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 3, 2025
"That's another inaccurate statement out there. I've never been a quitter… never shied away from tough situations.”
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
pic.twitter.com/wYUZvzfY7X
Engelbert, who became WNBA commissioner in 2019, was the subject of a report this week claiming that she would likely be exiting the job some time after the current negotiations on a new WNBA collective bargaining agreement. The report alleged that pressure on Engelbert was coming from both NBA and WNBA circles and supposedly was tied to her poor relationships with key league figures (full details here).
The ex-Deloitte CEO Engelbert is facing a whole lot negative PR right now, in large part due to the scathing comments that Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, who is also WNBPA vice president, made about her in a press conference this week. Engelbert was already facing public criticism over allegedly mishandling the recent surge in popularity and revenue for the WNBA. But Collier’s statements directly targeted Engelbert’s leadership and even claimed that Engelbert made a tone-deaf remark about WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark.
Engelbert has since issued a response to Collier’s criticisms, highlighting her many accomplishments during her time as WNBA commissioner. But with the league facing the potential of a lockout if negotiations on a new CBA continue to be fruitless, the pressure on Engelbert may end up becoming too great, particularly if she is an actively negative presence for both players and league sponsors.
