Napheesa Collier cancels meeting with Engelbert: Tension in the WNBA

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 his willingness to meet with Engelbert to discuss the criticisms leveled against the commissioner and the league during a press conference on Tuesday. However, Engelbert’s statement at a press conference on Friday, where he denied the inaccuracies in Collier’s description of a private conversation between the two, “has practically damaged the relationship irreparably,” according to a source. A league spokesperson reported that Collier had not yet notified Engelbert about the cancellation of the meeting. On Friday, Engelbert 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 claimed.

I did not make those comments.

Cathy Engelbert

Engelbert acknowledged that there is much work to be done to rebuild trust with the players, but she expressed confidence in her ability to do so. Players from across the league expressed their support for Collier and her criticisms of the WNBA’s leadership, including Clark, who noted that the Lynx star made “valid points”.