Napheesa Collier calls out WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert: ‘Worst leadership in the world’

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier lambasted WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league office on Tuesday, saying that the WNBA had the “worst leadership in the world.”

Less than 48 hours after Minnesota’s season-ending Game 4 semifinals loss to the Phoenix Mercury, Collier read a two-page prepared statement at a news conference in Minneapolis that criticized the league’s officiating, Engelbert and the WNBA’s approach to the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.

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Collier said that the league lacks accountability on key issues, and she said she was speaking candidly on Tuesday because “for too long I have tried to have these conversations in private.”

“But it’s clear there’s no intention of accepting there’s a problem,” Collier said about the league’s officiating, in particular. “The league has made it clear, it isn’t about innovation. It isn’t about collaboration. It’s about control and power.

“Our leadership’s ability to being held accountable is to suppress everyone’s voices by handing out fines. I’m not concerned about a fine. I’m concerned about the future of our sport.”

Collier, the 2025 WNBA MVP runner-up, did not play in Minnesota’s Game 4 loss after suffering an ankle injury in the final 30 seconds of Game 3. The injury occurred as part of a chaotic sequence when she fell to the court as the Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from her. Irate about the lack of a foul, Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve charged onto the court, was held back from confronting officials and was ejected from the eventual defeat with 21.8 seconds remaining. At a new conference following the game , Reeve called for a change in officiating at the league-level in a two-minute profanity-laced diatribe. She subsequently was fined $15,000 and suspended for Sunday’s Game 4, when the Lynx were eliminated from the playoffs.

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Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon and Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White were fined for publicly criticizing officials, in comments expressing support for Reeve.

Reeve expressed support of Collier on Tuesday, but she said she wasn’t fully aware of her statement. “(Collier’s) voice is obviously an important one,” Reeve said.

The WNBA did not respond to a request to comment at the time of publication.

Collier said Tuesday that the injury she suffered in the waning seconds was “almost the exact same injury” she dealt with in August, when she missed more than three weeks with a right ankle injury. She said she has “a couple of torn ligaments,” but no broken bones.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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