The basketball world was left in disbelief as Napheesa Collier read out a four-minute-long statement detailing her frustrations with officiating in the WNBA and revealing conversations with the WNBA commissioner, Cathy Englebert, about Caitlin Clark and other famous WNBA rookies earning negligible salaries.
Subsequently, the Mavericks’ minority owner, Mark Cuban, also questioned the league’s protocols regarding training, growth, and selection of officials. He took to social media and expressed his opinion on the criticism.
“Look at how they hire and train new officials. Look at how they promote new officials and from where Refs get trained in the G-League. If they aren’t good there because there is very little investment made in training them there, how are they going to be good when they get to the WNBA or NBA?” said Cuban on X.
The Mavericks’ minority owner was adding onto the sentiments from Collier, who earlier today questioned the WNBA’s leadership for their lack of accountability in terms of officiating and the persistent problem of revenue sharing.
Napheesa Collier Reveals What Cathy Engelbert Feels About Caitlin Clark
“The real threat to our league isn’t money. It isn’t ratings, or even missed calls or physical play. It’s the lack of accountability from the league office. Since I’ve been in the league, we’ve heard constant complaints about officiating, and it has reached the levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity in which it operates, ” said Collier during her Exit interview after the Lynx lost in the semifinal to the Phoenix Mercury.
She further blamed the league for “self-sabotage” and said that they did not care about the product that they are showing the world. Collier then targeted the use of the term “sustainability” and how it has been misconstrued to avoid giving the players what they demand.
“What is truly unsustainable is to have a good product on the floor and allow the officials to lose control of games. Fans see it every night, coaches both winning and losing point it out every night in pre-game and post-game media. Yet, leadership just issues fines and looks the other way. They ignore the issues everyone inside is begging to be fixed; that is negligence.”
“Well, only the losers complain about the refs,” were the words that the WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert allegedly used to describe her plan on tackling this issue of officiating, per Collier. She went on to further detail her conversation with the WNBA commissioner back when Unrivaled was still ongoing. What Collier revealed next was truly eye-opening.
“I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin, Angel, and Paige, who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years. Her response was ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million a year off the court. Because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”
While Clark reportedly refused to comment on this news, Angel Reese also took to social media to extend her support for Collier’s cause. Caitlin Clark made her name in the sports world long before she even joined the WNBA. She broke multiple records, including the All-time scoring record in the NCAA, which was previously held by NBA legend Pete Maravich.
In my opinion, it seems a bit baseless and harsh for the WNBA commissioner to say that Clark would not make a big enough name for herself without the platform that the WNBA gave her. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers are all earning in five figures for their annual salary with the league, but generating millions of dollars in endorsement deals and revenue for the league through jersey sales. Just look at the ‘napkin math’ that NBA Insider Bobby Marks did on this issue. It highlights the stark reality behind why this issue needs to be addressed across the league.
WNBA Commissioner Issues Clarification To Napheesa Collier
Following this statement from WNBA MVP runner-up, the WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, also issued a response from the WNBA’s front office.
“I have the utmost respect for Napheesa Collier and for all the players in the WNBA. 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. I am disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership, but even when our perspectives differ, my commitment to the players and to this work will not waver.”
Sources claim that Engelbert would likely not remain as the WNBA’s commissioner after the CBA negotiations are finalized. While the league’s spokesperson categorically denied such claims, maybe it is time that the league could use fresh leadership, considering her failure to address the two key problems that Collier mentioned in her statement. While the revenue debate is a different question altogether, such an attitude towards a serious problem like officiating concerns seriously puts her abilities as a commissioner under the public’s microscope.
