Cathy Engelbert as commissioner of the WNBA ends.
Engelbert, 61, issued a statement to the league Friday morning announcing that she will step down at the end of 2026, ending a seven-year tenure that has seen the league reach new heights of popularity and financial success but also been marked by sharp criticism of her leadership.
“Over the years, it’s been incredible to watch WNBA players step up and lead a huge cultural surge around women’s sports,” Engelbert said in her statement. “I retire knowing that we have built something bigger, stronger and more durable than we could have imagined. I am grateful to the owners and staff of the WNBA and NBA teams, the players, investors, fans and front office staff of the mighty league, who believed in what this league could become. I retire with tremendous gratitude and tremendous optimism for the future of the WNBA.”
Cathy Engelbert announces her retirement
Annie Costabile
NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent letters Friday to league stakeholders, including the WNBA Board of Directors, informing them that management “will begin the process of selecting a new WNBA commissioner later this month,” a league source said. The person was one of half a dozen league sources they spoke with The Athletic spoke on condition of anonymity about Friday’s events because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Engelbert compiled a list of internal and external candidates to replace her, and that list was shared with Silver and the WNBA Board of Directors. Silver is expected to choose Engelbert’s successor in partnership with the board.
With Engelbert’s contract up at the end of the calendar year, the deadline for her future as commissioner was fast approaching.
In a letter sent Friday morning to WNBA players, obtained by Athletic, Engelbert wrote, “I’m grateful for your advocacy and your willingness to challenge us to be braver, listen more carefully, and think differently. Those conversations weren’t always easy, but they were essential. You’ve made this league stronger, and you’ve made me a better leader. …
“I will go through the motions over the next four months and do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition to the next commissioner.”
Engelbert was named the WNBA’s first commissioner in 2019 after six previous leaders served as president. During her tenure, she brokered two collective bargaining agreements, successfully weathered a pandemic season and helped guide the league’s plans to expand to 18 teams by 2030.
A former Deloitte executive, she brought a strong business acumen that brought unprecedented financial gains to the WNBA. It provided a $75 million capital increase that was initially seen as a stabilizing move for the league, but has since raised questions about the long-term implications of further entangling the league’s ownership structure.
Earlier this year, she also oversaw the ratification of the CBA that introduced player salaries that topped $1 million for the first time and a groundbreaking revenue sharing model that tied player salaries to revenue in a meaningful way.
In 2024, the WNBA secured an 11-year media rights deal now worth a reported $3 billion, but credit for that largely went to NBA leadership, which negotiated both leagues’ deals in tandem.
Silver’s oversight of Engelbert and the overall operation of the WNBA further complicated her role. Although Engelbert has been the face of the WNBA’s triumphs and failures over the past seven years, several high-ranking league officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect personal relationships, said many believe Silver controls the levers.
“One of the big misunderstandings is that Cathy has the ultimate power,” said one high-ranking executive The Athletic. “She’s in the room, she’s there, but W makes very few decisions on her own.”
Silver began alerting key stakeholders about Engelbert’s retirement about 10 minutes before the WNBA made the announcement Friday morning. After Silver’s memo, Engelbert sent messages to league stakeholders, including players, the WNBA Board of Directors, team presidents, general managers and investors.
The players’ reaction to the news was relatively muted because it didn’t come as much of a surprise, according to league sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect personal relationships.
“Cathy Engelbert came into the WNBA at a pivotal time and helped lead the league through a period of remarkable change,” WNBPA president and LA Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike said in a statement released by the association. “Leading through this much change is no small undertaking and I greatly respect the dedication Cathy has brought to the role.”
For all the unprecedented growth Engelbert has overseen, she has also faced heavy criticism for her overall leadership style, especially from players who have spoken openly about her lack of personal connection with them. In recent years, the scrutiny of Engelbert has only grown. She was booed in WNBA arenas and challenged by prominent players.
Last season, Minnesota Lynx All Star Napheesa Collier was particularly vocal in her criticism, saying the WNBA has “the worst leadership in the world” while revealing details of alleged private conversations she had with the commissioner. Several players echoed Collier’s remarks.
Under Engelbert’s stewardship, off-field issues constantly threatened to overshadow the league’s on-field product. Star players like the Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham, and the Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers to have had stalkers. Several players have discovered online racist messages and the death threats they received. The the league officiates is also a frequent subject of criticism, given its handling of high-profile wrong calls and a general lack of quality refereeing.
This season, small rallies have been held around WNBA arenas over the issue of transgender athletes participating in women’s sports after Cunningham voiced her opposition to their inclusion in the ESPN article — even though there are no trans athletes in the league. Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom tried to enter the WNBA draft and succeeded later rejected and banned from the Chicago Sky arena after verbal sparring with the player.
While the official process to find Engelbert’s replacement has not yet begun, the league plans to prioritize a candidate who can build consensus among its stakeholders and, most importantly, among the players, according to a source familiar with management’s expectations who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect professional relationships.
Silver praised Engelbert in a statement released by the WNBA.
“Cathy has presided over the WNBA through the most significant period of growth in the league’s 30-year history,” said the NBA commissioner. “We are grateful for Cathy’s leadership and unwavering commitment to the advancement of women’s basketball.”
