Lynx Forward โคNapheesa Collierโ Publicly Criticizes WNBA Commissioner, League Leadership
Following theโค Minnesota โคLynx’s playoff elimination on September 28th, forward Napheesaโข Collier delivered a scathing critiqueโ of WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and โthe โleague’s leadership, alleging a lack of player valuation and โฃaccountability regarding officiating. Collier detailed a conversation with โEngelbert from last winter, during the โUnrivaledโ 3×3 โbasketball league (co-founded by โCollier and her husband, Alex Bazzell), where she questionedโ the disparity betweenโ revenue generated โby high-profile players like Caitlin โClark, Angelโฃ Reese,โข and Paigeโฃ Bueckersโ and their comparativelyโค low WNBA salaries.
According โto Collier, Engelbert responded that Clark “should be grateful she โฃmakes $16 million off the court because without the โplatform that the โWNBAโค gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.” collier also stated engelbert told โขherโ players should be “on โtheir knees thanking โคtheir โคlucky stars โfor the media rights deal that I got them,” referencing the new 11-year, $2.2 billion media rightsโค agreementโฃ set โto begin next season.
Collier’s comments came after โsustaining an injury in the final seconds of the Lynx’s playoff game against the Connecticut Sun, which she described as “almost theโค exact same injury” as โa rightโ ankle injury that sidelined her for over three weeks โคin August, resulting in “a couple of torn ligaments, torn shin โฃmuscles, but no โฃbroken bones.” โคWhile acknowledging the injury didn’t change herโฃ overall โคperspective, Collier asserted โฃthat officiating inconsistencies “have now reached levelsโฆthat undermine the โขintegrity” of the league.
She โaccused theโข league ofโข a lack of accountability, stating, “Year afterโค year, the only thing โขthat โคremains consistent is โthe lack of accountabilityโ fromโ our leaders.” Collier refuted โa WNBA claim,โ reported by โESPN, โthat data showed no correlation between recent โplayoff injuries and missed calls, calling it “an insult โto my intelligence.” She argued โคthat allowing officials toโ “lose control of games” is unsustainable, despite โฃwidespread concerns voicedโ by players and coaches.
Collier further alleged that when โshe โฃasked Engelbert how the leagueโ planned to addressโฃ officiatingโ concerns, the Commissioner responded, “Only the losers โcomplain about โtheโฃ refs.” She concluded by stating, โ”I think it’s time that โฃpeopleโข know what is happening, the way that the league is not valuing us theโ way that we need to be valued,” and characterizedโ the league’s leadership asโ “the worst leadership in the world.”
The WNBA andโข WNBPA are currently negotiating aโ new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with theโ current agreement expiring on โคOctoberโ 31st. Playersโข are โฃseeking salary increases – the โcurrentโฃ maximum is approximately โ$250,000 – and a revenue-sharing system without a โขfixedโ component. Engelbert hasโฃ expressed hope for a “transformational”โ deal that will “substantially increase” player salary and benefits whileโ maintainingโข owner profitability.
Following Collier’s statements, Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon and Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White were fined for โpublicly defending Lynx coach โฃCheryl Reeve after โคsheโ initiallyโ spokeโ outโ about โฃofficiating. Caitlin Clark, throughโ the Fever,โฃ declinedโค toโ comment on Collier’s โคaccount of her conversation withโค Engelbert.
