Napheesa Collier Cancels Meeting with WNBA Commissioner
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has decided to cancel her scheduled meeting with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, according to sources close to the situation. Collier had previously expressed his willingness to meet with Engelbert next week to discuss the criticisms directed at the commissioner and the league, which were raised at a press conference on Tuesday. However, Engelbert’s statement at a press conference on Friday, where he denied Collier’s claims about a private conversation between the two, has 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 strongly 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.“There is a lot of inaccuracy on social media and in all these reports. I have a lot of respect for the players. There is a lot of emotion and passion right now surrounding collective bargaining… Obviously, I am disappointed,” Engelbert added. Engelbert acknowledged that she has a lot of work to do to rebuild trust with the players, but she expressed confidence that she could achieve it. Players across the league expressed their support for Collier and her criticisms of the WNBA’s leadership, including Clark, who stated that the Lynx star made “valid points”.“I didn’t make those comments,” Engelbert stated at her annual press conference before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.
Cathy Engelbert
