Minnesota Lynx standout Napheesa Collier, known for her composed demeanor, delivered an impassioned and highly critical address targeting WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Tuesday. In a meticulously prepared statement, Collier utilized an end-of-season media session as a platform to unleash a barrage of grievances against the league’s administration, asserting, “We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world… But right now we have the worst leadership in the world.”
The tension between players and the league office has been palpable throughout the season, intensified by ongoing negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. On-court frustrations, particularly concerning officiating standards and aggressive play, have reached a critical point. This was highlighted when Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve faced a fine and suspension after publicly labeling the situation “dangerous” during Minnesota’s semifinal series against Phoenix.
Collier recounted a specific offseason conversation with Commissioner Engelbert regarding officiating. When asked how the league planned to address the issue, Engelbert allegedly retorted, “’Well, only the losers complain about the refs.’” This comment, Collier implied, epitomized a dismissive attitude from the league’s top brass.
The officiating debate boiled over dramatically in Game 3 between the top-seeded Lynx and the Mercury. A late-game collision involving Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas and Collier led to Reeve’s ejection after receiving a second technical foul. The coach subsequently voiced her demand for a change in leadership during her postgame press conference, leading to her suspension for Game 4, a game Collier also missed due to an ankle injury sustained in the same incident that sidelined her for potential Finals appearances.
As a vice president of the players’ union executive committee, Collier identified the league office’s lack of accountability as the most significant threat to the WNBA’s future. She accused the league of attempting to stifle dissenting voices through fines, citing penalties against Reeve ($15,000) and other coaches like Becky Hammon and Stephanie White for expressing support for Reeve’s sentiments. Collier stressed that officiating had descended into “levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity with which it operates.”
The five-time All-Star and 2024 Defensive Player of the Year also revisited a conversation with Engelbert concerning the modest rookie salaries of emerging stars such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers. According to Collier, Engelbert’s dismissive response was, “Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because, without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.” Collier further claimed Engelbert suggested players should be “on their knees thanking their lucky stars” for the $2.2 billion media rights deal she helped secure.
In response to Collier’s incendiary remarks, Commissioner Engelbert released a statement Tuesday afternoon, asserting her “utmost respect” for Collier and all players. She reiterated her commitment to transforming the league and ensuring a “bright future,” expressing dismay at how Collier characterized their conversations and league leadership but affirming her unwavering dedication.
Collier’s powerful statement quickly garnered widespread support across social media from fellow players, including Angel Reese, Dearica Hamby, and retired two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne. The WNBPA issued its own statement, proclaiming, “When Phee speaks, people listen,” and suggesting that her words echoed the sentiments of many, if not all, of their members. The union emphasized that players understand their worth, even if the league does not, and are actively fighting for their legacy and the future of women’s basketball.
Collier’s direct challenge to the WNBA establishment aligns with a family legacy of activism; her grandfather, Gershon, was a U.N. diplomat instrumental in Sierra Leone’s independence. The Minnesota Lynx organization itself has a long-standing reputation as a leader in social justice, notably wearing “Change Begins With Us” T-shirts in 2016 to protest police brutality. Coach Cheryl Reeve, the WNBA’s longest-tenured coach and a recipient of four championships, has consistently encouraged her players to use their voices, standing firmly behind their stances.
Reeve, reflecting on her past and current resolve, stated last month, “I became more emboldened as a winner. Things that you were fearful of, you didn’t have the courage to do before, you suddenly have the will to do.” Wearing a protective boot on Tuesday, Collier, though sidelined, expressed no regrets about her outspokenness. She asserted that she is “not concerned about a fine,” but rather “concerned about the future of our sport,” vowing, “I will not stand quietly by” in her fight for fairness and truth for athletes and fans alike.
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Originally published at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/09/30/napheesa-collier-cathy-engelbert-wnba-statement/
