"Tone-Deaf and Dismissive" — Naphreesa Collier Called Out WNBA Comissioner Cathy Engelbert
"Right now, we have the worst leadership in the world."
Published Oct. 1 2025, 12:22 p.m. ET
Whether we want to admit it or not, there’s a lot of politics in the WNBA, and in professional sports in general. Things happen behind the scenes that fans aren’t privy to, and power struggles often play out in ways that can impact players both on and off the court.
One longstanding issue that’s been raised time and time again is the officiating of WNBA games, with many questioning the judgment and even the agendas of referees tasked with enforcing the rules.
A lot is on the line in these matchups, and if officiating isn’t handled fairly and ethically, it can cost a player money or career opportunities, or an entire team a win.
It’s that very issue, officiating, that Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier called out at the end of Game 4 semifinals, where the Lynx lost to the Phoenix Mercury in late September 2025.
Collier pointed her criticism directly at the league office and even WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Here’s what she said.
What did Napheesa Collier say about Cathy Engelbert?
During a news conference on Sept. 30, 2025, Naphreesa Collier called out Cathy Engelbert for not addressing ongoing league issues, saying leadership “just issues fines and looks the other way.”
Based on a past conversation Naphreesa had with Cathy and her response to the issues Naphreesa wanted addressed, she says she realized WNBA leadership doesn’t value the players.
In fact, it almost sounded like Cathy believes the players should be thanking her for the opportunities more than anything.
“Since I’ve been in the league, you’ve heard the constant concerns about officiating, and it has now reached levels of high inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity in which it operates,” Naphreesa told cameras.
She added, “they ignore the issues that everyone inside the game is begging to be fixed. That is negligence.”
Naphreesa recalled a past conversation with Cathy where she asked how she planned to address officiating concerns. According to Naphreesa, Cathy allegedly replied, “Well, only the losers complain about the refs.”
The comment was a pretty bold one to make when you consider the time when Sophie Cunningham appeared to be intentionally pushed out of bounds by Marina Mabrey, yet Sophie was called for stepping out. Or shortly before that, when Olivia Nelson-Ododa delivered an elbow to Sophie, knocking her to the ground.
That wasn’t fairly called either. And there are dozens of other examples that support what Naphreesa is saying.
Naphreesa also called out WNBA leadership for being “tone-deaf” and “dismissive.”
In that same conversation with Cathy, Naphreesa questioned why players like Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark make so little in their first four years despite the massive revenue and attention they bring to the league.
According to Naphreesa, Cathy replied, “Caitlyn should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”
She added that Cathy boldly stated, “Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the meteorite steel that I got them.”
Overall, Naphreesa believes WNBA leadership takes a tone-deaf, dismissive approach to serious issues, and she’s tired of sitting back and watching it happen.
While she says she’s tried to have private conversations to address concerns, no real action has been taken.