NBA Insider Challenges Napheesa Collier’s Criticism of Cathy Engelbert After Lynx’s Playoff Exit

Joseph Galizia | 03/10/2025
Cathy Engelbert and Napheesa Collier

The WNBA may be preparing for the Finals, but the league is also surrounded by some controversy. Lynx star Napheesa Collier recently held a press conference calling out the league for its poor leadership, weak player safety, and lousy pay. She went straight at Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, accusing her of being tone-deaf and dismissive when players raise real issues.

The 29-year-old baller Collier even claimed the W has “the worst leadership in the world,” which lit up headlines fast due to it being a direct shot at Engelbert. Her frustration echoed what a lot of players have been saying behind closed doors for a while but hadn’t said so bluntly.

The fallout was immediate. Collier made a point: it wasn’t about winning and losing. It was about negligence.

Top players like Angel Reese, Sophie Cunningham, and Paige Bueckers have publicly rallied behind Collier. Perhaps the commissioner’s most egregious admission came when she privately told her that the W’s top revenue driver, Caitlin Clark, should feel lucky to be making the money she makes.

This is because “without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.” Collier revealed this tidbit in her press conference.

One person who disliked this airing of dirty laundry was basketball journalist Frank Isola. He spoke about it on a recent edition of SiriusXM radio, where he questioned if Collier would have even held the press conference if the Lynx had advanced in the playoffs.

“You’re saying it’s not about winning and losing. Again, if your team had advanced are you holding a press conference to complain about the league? Are you holding a press conference to talk about a private conversation you had with Cathy Engelbert, where you’re taking bits of a conversation? We don’t know what type of context it was in,” stated Isola.

The NBA insider further explained his point by using his co-host, who works for the Celtics organization, as an example. “Say they’re angry at you and then they start giving out details of the conversation that you thought were a private conversation. That’s a little unfair to do,” he said.

Whether Collier’s timing was motivated by frustration over the Lynx’s playoff exit or not, her words have forced the WNBA into the spotlight in a way that can’t be ignored. Clark called this time in the W the “biggest moment” in the league’s history.

The debate now isn’t just about basketball, but about how the league treats its players, handles criticism, and communicates with its stars.

The timing of all this hubbub is also quite awful. There are labor talks looming and the Finals between the Mercury and Aces begins tomorrow. Tension between the commissioner’s office and some of the league’s biggest names could shape the future of the W more than any series outcome. For now, Collier’s press conference has cracked open a conversation the league may no longer be able to keep behind closed doors.

Post Edited By: Samir Mehdi
Caitlin Clark Cathy Engelbert Napheesa Collier

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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