Napheesa Collier Cancels Meeting with WNBA Commissioner
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has decided to cancel her meeting with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, scheduled for next week, according to sources close to the situation. Collier had previously expressed to Engelbert his willingness to meet to discuss the criticisms leveled at Engelbert and the league during a press conference on Tuesday. However, Engelbert’s statement at a press conference on Friday, where he dismissed Collier’s version of a private conversation between the two, calling it inaccurate, seems to have significantly deteriorated the relationship, according to a source.A league spokesperson reported that Collier had not yet notified Engelbert about the cancellation of the meeting. Engelbert, for her part, flatly denied having said that Caitlin Clark and other prominent players “should be on their knees” in gratitude for the platform the league has provided them, as Collier had claimed.“It has practically taken the relationship beyond repair,” commented a source.
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Engelbert acknowledged that he has a lot of work to do to rebuild trust with the players, but he was optimistic about his ability to achieve it. Players from across the league have expressed their support for Collier and her criticisms of the WNBA’s leadership, including Clark, who considered that the Lynx star made “valid points”.“I didn’t make those comments,” Engelbert stated at her annual press conference ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.
Cathy Engelbert
