Caitlin Clark added her voice to the league’s most charged off-court debate, backing Napheesa Collier’s public criticism of WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert as the league approaches a pivotal labor deadline.
Clark spoke during her exit interview on Thursday, framing the moment as a turning point for the WNBA.
“This is straight up the most important moment in this league’s history,” Clark said. “We have to capitalize on it.”
Napheesa Collier’s Remarks Spark Conversation
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier — who also serves as a WNBPA executive — shook the league on Sept. 30 when she read a detailed statement in her exit interview. In it, she questioned leadership at the highest level of the league.
“We have the best players and best fans in the world, but the worst leadership,” Collier said.
She accused league decision-makers of being “tone-deaf and dismissive,” citing what she described as poor communication with players, inconsistent officiating standards, and a lack of accountability on player health and transparency. She said those concerns were too often met with punishment instead of problem-solving.
Napheesa Collier on WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert😲
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) September 30, 2025
“Whether the league cares about the health of the players is one thing but to also not care about the product we put on the floor is self sabotage. Year after year, the only thing that remains consistent is a lack of… pic.twitter.com/HYyQom7oQ2
The Lynx star added that league leaders were “handing out fines” rather than addressing core issues.
Collier also pointed to her own playoff injury, saying she received no outreach from Engelbert.
“This is a perfect example of the tone-deaf, dismissive approach our leaders always seem to take,” Collier said.
She described a private conversation with Engelbert in which players were told they should be “on their knees, thankful for the media rights deal.”
Caitlin Clark Aligns With Napheesa Collier
When asked directly about Collier’s statement, Clark did not hedge.
“Well, I mean, first of all, I have a lot of, I have great respect for Phee and I think she made a lot of very valid points,” Clark said. “And, you know, I think what people need to understand, we need great leadership in this time across all levels. This is straight up the most important moment in this league’s history. What this league’s been around for 25+ years, and this is a moment we have to capitalize on.”
She was then asked if Engelbert had contacted her following Collier’s allegations.
“No,” Clark said.
Clark added that the next steps should be measured by trust and relationships.
“For me, leadership is all about relationships,” she said. “Why would my teammates listen to me if I didn’t have relationships with them? You have to seek those out and understand your teammates, their backgrounds. That’s important and I’m intentional about it.”
Caitlin Clark agrees with everything Napheesa Collier said and reveals that Cathy Engelbert hasn’t reached out to her since Napheesa’s comments 😱 pic.twitter.com/uQOkxNEvFB
— WNBA Got Game (@wnbagotgame) October 2, 2025
WNBA Commissioner’s Response And Player Solidarity
Engelbert said she was “disheartened” by how Collier characterized their conversations and her management of the league, but she reiterated her commitment to work with players going forward.
Support for Collier was swift. Players and union leaders echoed her message on social media and in interviews, calling for more accountability and collaboration.
The WNBPA said Collier’s statement reflected the views of many of its members and urged leadership to take notice.
The wave of support shifted attention back to how league executives communicate with players during high-stakes moments, especially when injuries, discipline or officiating controversies are involved.
What’s At Stake In The CBA Talks
The leadership debate is happening as the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement nears expiration. The WNBPA opted out early, moving the end date to Oct. 31, 2025, from 2027. Negotiations are already underway.
At the heart of the dispute is the league’s economic structure. The WNBA’s hard salary cap for 2025 is $1,507,100 per team, with a built-in three percent annual increase. Rookie minimum salaries are roughly $64,154, while veteran supermax deals top out at $249,244.
Players currently receive nine percent of league revenue. That figure has become a major flashpoint, especially with a new $200 million annual broadcast partnership set to begin. By comparison, NBA players earn nearly 50 percent of league revenue.
Charter flights were expanded in 2024, but players argue that standards and benefits still lag behind the league’s growth. Many continue to play overseas in the offseason to supplement their income.
Other priorities include improved retirement benefits, family-planning policies, expanded health care, and upgrades to facilities. Players are also pushing for reform of restrictive contract rules, such as the “core” designation, which limits free agency opportunities.
Caitlin Clark’s View Before High-Pressure Deadline
If no agreement is reached by Oct. 31, the WNBA could face its first work stoppage, threatening the 2026 season. That possibility has placed extra urgency on every negotiation and public comment.
Clark said she sees the responsibility as a shared one.
“Everyone in power, and even myself, has a responsibility to ensure the game is in a great place going forward—with the CBA, with player care, with building the league for the future,” Clark said. “I grew up as a huge fan of the league and I’m going to do everything I can to help make the league one where a 5, 10, 15-year-old or a college girl dreams of playing and is proud to join.”
Clark circled back to her definition of leadership several times. She said leadership should not be measured by a title or a press release, but by daily work.
“For me, leadership is all about relationships,” she said. “That’s the most important part of leadership—in the WNBA, in corporate America, anywhere—relationships and caring about the people around you.”
To Clark, the CBA represents more than just a contract. She called it a test of how the WNBA listens, responds, and invests in its players.
“This is straight up the most important moment in this league’s history,” she said. “We have to capitalize on it.”
Napheesa Collier’s Critique, In Full View
Collier’s statement made clear she wasn’t trying to tear down the league. Instead, she said her goal was to spark change and hold leadership accountable.
The former UConn standout used her playoff injury — and the lack of outreach that followed — as an example of what she called the gap between how the league presents itself publicly and what players experience day to day.
She described leadership as “tone-deaf” and “dismissive,” and argued that fines and discipline had replaced meaningful engagement. She tied those concerns to issues that players have raised repeatedly: officiating consistency, player health and league transparency.
Her claim that players were told to be “on their knees, thankful” for the media rights deal crystallized the divide. For Collier, the problem was not gratitude but a lack of partnership.
Sophie Cunningham w/ a clear statement to WNBA Leadership about accountability and “they don’t know sh*t about basketball!” pic.twitter.com/eO5B38RVQ6
— Nick Hamilton (@NickHamilton213) October 2, 2025
A Unified Message Ahead Of Oct. 31
Clark’s decision to stand with Collier underscores a larger theme across the WNBA. Veteran stars and young faces are speaking with one voice more often, presenting a united front ahead of a historic labor deadline.
That unity could give the players’ union leverage, but it also raises expectations from fans who have fueled the league’s rapid growth.
Success, Clark said, will not just be measured in salary figures or cap space. It will be defined by whether the next generation of players enters a league that lives up to its moment.
“We need great leadership in this time across all levels,” Clark said. “What this league’s been around for 25+ years, and this is a moment we have to capitalize on.”
