What did Cathy Engelbert say about Caitlin Clark? Why WNBA commissioner’s alleged comment infuriated Fever fans originally appeared on The Sporting News
The 2025 WNBA Finals is but one story dominating WNBA discourse this week.
Advertisement
Much to the league’s displeasure, commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s position is under question amid incendiary remarks from Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier on Tuesday.
Engelbert is set to give a press conference on Friday, hours before the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces tip off the 2025 finals. She will be pressed on comments that Collier attributed to her during an exit interview on Tuesday in Minneapolis — including allegations
What did Cathy Engelbert say about Caitlin Clark?
According to Collier, Engelbert and the WNBA have taken credit for Clark’s immense popularity since she joined the Indiana Fever last year.
Advertisement
Collier claims that, during negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement, Engelbert made the following comment about Clark: “Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”
Clark was already a star long before she declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft. At Iowa, she led the unheralded Hawkeyes to consecutive national championship games and broke the NCAA record for career points scored.
In doing so, Clark made millions off her name, image and likeness at Iowa. Before she was drafted by the Fever, Clark already had sponsorship deals in place with brands that include Gatorade, Nike, Panini and State Farm.
Since joining the WNBA, Clark has become a Nike signature athlete and enhanced her profile — even after missing much of the 2025 season through injury. Clark played only 13 games in her sophomore season and missed the Fever’s run to Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals.
Fans of Clark and the Fever would argue that the WNBA needed a player like Clark more than the player needed the WNBA. This has been a mutually-beneficial partnership that — according to Collier — the league is exploiting amid an ongoing labor dispute with the players’ union.
Advertisement
Clark’s initial response was “no comment.” But media personalities like ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt have strongly backed Clark while rinsing league leadership — weakening Engelbert’s position amid speculation that she will step down as commissioner following the CBA negotiations.
“If (Engelbert) actually suggested Caitlin Clark should be grateful for what she makes off the court, that’s preposterous! Did you miss the Iowa years?” Van Pelt said Wednesday on SportsCenter. “Clark is the Tiger Woods tie that lifts all boats. And we know, this show is proof. The highest rating we have everhad followed one of her games at Iowa. The WNBA has benefited from her presence, more than the other way around.”
When Clark spoke to the media on Thursday as part of her exit interview, she said she hadn’t heard the story Collier shared, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. Clark added that she hadn’t heard from Engelbert.
“We need great leadership at this time across all levels… this is the most important time in this league’s history… Phee said it all,” Clark said.
Advertisement
