Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier openly criticized WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league’s leadership during a news conference in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
Her remarks came less than 48 hours after the Lynx’s season-ending Game 4 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in the semifinals.
Collier, who is also the vice president of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, delivered a prepared two-page statement that addressed ongoing issues with officiating and highlighted her frustrations regarding Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.
She asserted that WNBA leadership has demonstrated a lack of accountability and claimed that discussions within the league have produced no substantive changes.
“For too long, I have tried to have these conversations in private,” Collier stated.
“It’s clear there’s no intention of accepting there’s a problem.
The league has made it clear, it isn’t about innovation. It isn’t about collaboration. It’s about control and power.”
Collier’s concerns particularly centered around officiating.
She expressed that the response from the league to criticism has been to suppress voices through fines, adding, “I’m not concerned about a fine. I’m concerned about the future of our sport.”
WNBA commissioner Engelbert released a statement in response to Collier’s comments, expressing respect for all players, including Collier.
She commented, “I have the utmost respect for Napheesa Collier… Together we have all worked tirelessly to transform this league.”
Engelbert added that her commitment to the players remains steadfast, despite differences in perspective.
Collier did not participate in the Game 4 loss due to an ankle injury sustained in the final moments of Game 3, which she described as “almost the exact same injury” she suffered earlier in the season.
After the incident, Minnesota’s head coach Cheryl Reeve was visibly upset and was ejected for confronting officials about a lacking foul call.
In a post-game news conference, Reeve vocally criticized the officiating standards, resulting in a $15,000 fine and a suspension for Game 4.
Collier reiterated her support for Reeve’s position, saying, “(Collier’s) voice is obviously an important one.”
During her statement, Collier shared her conversations with Engelbert, mentioning a discussion regarding the compensation of notable college players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers.
She brought up the disparity in earnings, as Clark made $78,066 with the WNBA.
Collier indicated that Engelbert’s response emphasized the benefits provided by the WNBA, claiming, “Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”
Collier also quoted Engelbert as saying players should be “on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal” that is set to take effect next season.
As the WNBA currently negotiates a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the league is aiming for a transformative deal; however, players are pushing for higher salaries and a revenue-sharing model without a fixed component.
Collier added, “I think it’s time that people know what is happening, the way that the league is not valuing us the way that we need to be valued.”
Even though the outcome of the playoff game didn’t change her views on officiating, Collier stated the current inconsistencies have undermined the integrity of the league.
She commented, “Year after year, the only thing that remains consistent is the lack of accountability from our leaders.”
After the game, Collier objected to ESPN’s report asserting no connection between recent playoff injuries and officiating mistakes, calling it “an insult to my intelligence.”
Collier further emphasized, “What’s truly unsustainable is keeping a good product on the floor, while allowing officials to lose control of games.
Fans see it every night. Coaches, both winning and losing, point it out every night in pregame and postgame media.
Yet leadership just issues fines and looks the other way. They ignore the issues that everyone inside the game is begging to be fixed. That is negligence.”
In closing, Collier reiterated her inquiries to Engelbert about officiating problems, to which Engelbert reportedly responded, “Only the losers complain about the refs.”
With the new CBA negotiations set to conclude as the current agreement expires on October 31, Collier’s outcry may resonate as a pivotal moment in the ongoing fight for player recognition and the future of women’s basketball.
image source from：nytimes
