Napheesa Collier’s latest media interview is going viral after she revealed WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s comments about the players, particularly about Caitlin Clark. After the Minnesota Lynx‘s semifinal defeat to the Phoenix Mercury, Collier showed up to take questions from the media.
However, the veteran star told reporters that she would like to make a statement before taking any questions. Collier began by congratulating the Mercury on advancing to the finals before issuing a prepared statement where she blasted the league over the inconclusive CBA discussions.
Taking aim at WNBA officials, the WNBPA executive quickly singled out Engelbert, whom she called “the worst leadership in the world” while revealing parts of their conversation from February.
According to Collier, she asked Engelbert about the low salaries that players currently earn and how the latter intends to solve the issue, while citing players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese who bring in significant revenue to the league but are paid so little. To this, Napheesa Collier claimed that Cathy Engelbert allegedly told her that Clark should show gratitude for making that much.
“Caitlin should be grateful to make $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”
Collier also revealed that Engelbert dismissed players’ complaints about officiating in the league, allegedly saying that “only losers complain about the refs”.
Time is running out for a new CBA to be reached
At the end of her statement, the five-time All-Star said she wanted to highlight the “lack of accountability” from the league’s front office. The WNBPA had opted out of the old CBA back in October last year, and since then, the WNBA and the players’ association have failed to reach a new agreement for a new CBA.
However, the clock is ticking, and both parties have until October 31st this year to agree on a new deal.
Nonetheless, it remains to be seen if an agreement will eventually be reached with the current state of relations between the WNBA and the players.
