WNBA Players Respond to Napheesa Collier’s Criticism of League Leadership
WNBA players have expressed their support for Napheesa Collier, star of the Minnesota Lynx, following her criticism of the league’s leadership. Collier, in a post-season interview, accused commissioner Cathy Engelbert of being “negligent” in her management.Hull, who is also a representative of the players in the WNBPA, highlighted the importance of the changes in the league. Collier, who was second in the MVP voting this year, is also vice president of the WNBPA and co-founder of the 3×3 women’s basketball league Unrivaled. The WNBPA issued a statement in support of Collier, stating that her words reflect the feelings of many members. The statement notes that the league’s leaders and their teams would benefit from hearing her statement.I think I agree with everything Collier said.
Lexie Hull, Indiana Fever player
Fever coach Stephanie White also expressed her respect for Collier, highlighting the importance of women expressing their opinions and promoting change. Several WNBA players showed their support for Collier on social media.Elena Delle Donne shared on her Instagram story, highlighting her concern for human treatment. Collier also revealed that Engelbert told Caitlin Clark that “she should be grateful to earn $16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t earn anything.” Clark’s team, the Fever, has not issued a comment on the matter. Sophie Cunningham, Clark’s teammate, commented on Instagram, criticizing Engelbert and stating that the league’s leadership must change. The criticism comes amid the players’ frustration over collective bargaining negotiations, whose current agreement expires at the end of October. Chelsea Gray, representative of the Aces players, noted that the talks are not progressing as expected. According to Hull and Gray, the players feel that the league is unwilling to adequately compensate them for their contribution to the growth of the WNBA. Gray added that the negotiations cover aspects such as market share, salaries, and player safety. Gray emphasized the need for the WNBA to recognize the value of the players, since without them, there would be no league. Hull added that the league needs changes to reflect its exponential growth, and hopes that collective bargaining negotiations will help align the visions of the players and the league’s leadership.The players know their worth, even if the league doesn’t. They are fighting for their legacy and the future of basketball.
WNBPA Statement
