Cathy Engelbert Is Retiring as WNBA Commissioner — And Why I’m Coming Back as a Fan in 2027

Once again, I am optimistic about the future of the WNBA.

Cathy Engelbert announced on September 4 that she will retire as WNBA commissioner at the end of 2026, ending a tenure of more than seven years.

But growth does not erase frustration.

And from my perspective, Engelbert’s retirement is an opportunity for the WNBA to finally move in a different direction.

I am happy Cathy Engelbert is retiring. Leadership is about more than business deals, expansion announcements and growing television numbers.

It is also about protecting the product and listening to the players.

And, in my opinion, it is about recognizing when the biggest star your league has ever seen is being treated in a way that is damaging to the league itself.

That is where I believe Cathy Engelbert failed.

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Cathy Engelbert’s WNBA Legacy Is More Complicated Than the Growth Numbers

The WNBA is undeniably in a stronger business position than it was when Engelbert became the league’s first commissioner in 2019. She helped guide the league through the COVID-19 pandemic, oversaw expansion, helped secure major media and labor agreements, and led the WNBA through a period of unprecedented attention.

But I also believe Engelbert’s tenure will be remembered for the controversies that accompanied that growth.

A commissioner cannot simply take credit when everything is going well and then disappear when the league faces difficult questions.

The WNBA suddenly had something that leagues spend decades trying to find: a player capable of bringing millions of new people into the sport.

That player was Caitlin Clark.

And in my opinion, the league never handled that opportunity the way it should have.

My Biggest Frustration: The Treatment of Caitlin Clark

I believe the WNBA mishandled the treatment of Caitlin Clark, both on and off the court.

Clark brought unprecedented attention to women’s basketball. She arrived in the WNBA with an enormous fan base, national recognition and the ability to attract people who had never previously watched the league.

Instead of treating that moment as an opportunity to protect and grow the entire product, I believe the WNBA repeatedly allowed the conversation around Clark to become unnecessarily toxic.

The physical treatment she received on the court became a constant source of debate among fans. So did the officiating. So did the behavior surrounding her. Every controversial incident created another question about whether the league understood what it had in front of it.

I am not saying Caitlin Clark should have been handed special treatment because she is famous.

She should have been treated fairly.

But fair treatment also means consistent officiating, a serious approach to player safety and leadership that understands how damaging it can be when fans believe the league is allowing its biggest star to become the center of constant controversy.

The WNBA did not create Caitlin Clark’s popularity.

Clark earned that popularity.

But the league had a responsibility to manage the environment surrounding its fastest-growing superstar. In my opinion, Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA repeatedly failed to do that.

And every time the situation became bigger, the league seemed to find another way to make the conversation worse.

The Caitlin Clark Situation Was Bigger Than One Player

This is not just about being a Caitlin Clark fan.

It is about understanding sports.

When a new superstar brings millions of people to your league, you do not have to worship that player. You do not have to change the rules for that player. You do not have to pretend that player is bigger than everyone else.

But you absolutely have to understand the opportunity.

The WNBA suddenly had millions of new eyes watching.

Some of those people became fans because of Caitlin Clark. Some stayed because they discovered other great players. That should have been the beginning of a new era.

Instead, too much of the conversation became focused on controversy, resentment, arguments and whether the league was capable of handling its own growth.

When you are the commissioner, eventually the responsibility stops at your desk.

Did Pressure From Enes Kanter Freedom Help Push Cathy Engelbert Out?

I believe the pressure and controversy surrounding Enes Kanter Freedom played a role in creating an environment that made Engelbert’s position even more difficult.

Cathy Engelbert herself said her decision to leave had been contemplated for years, and she has described retirement as a personal decision after a long business career.

But timing matters.

Kanter Freedom became a major part of the conversation surrounding the WNBA’s recent controversies and its policies. His confrontation at a Chicago Sky game, subsequent legal action and public campaign against the league added even more pressure and attention to a commissioner who was already facing criticism on multiple fronts.

So, in my view, the pressure from Enes Kanter Freedom helped push the situation closer to a breaking point.

Maybe Engelbert was always going to retire.

But I do not believe the controversy surrounding the league, including the pressure generated by Kanter Freedom’s campaign, can simply be ignored when discussing why this moment happened when it did.

The WNBA Needs a Commissioner Who Understands the Entire Moment

The next WNBA commissioner will inherit a league with enormous momentum.

That is the good news.

The difficult part is that the next commissioner will also inherit a league filled with major challenges.

Player safety, officiating, and relationships with players matter.

So does the league’s continued expansion.

And understanding how to handle superstar athletes without creating unnecessary division matters.

The next WNBA commissioner needs to be someone who understands basketball and fans.

And, most importantly, someone who can recognize a problem before it becomes a national controversy.

Because the WNBA has too much momentum right now to keep stepping on its own foot.

I’m Officially Coming Back as a WNBA Fan in January 2027

This is my announcement.

Beginning in January 2027, I am coming back as a WNBA fan.

I want Caitlin Clark and the league’s other stars to thrive. I want women’s basketball to continue growing. I want the WNBA to become stronger, more stable and more entertaining than ever before.

But I also want accountability and leadership that recognizes problems instead of allowing them to grow.

Cathy Engelbert’s retirement closes one chapter in WNBA history.

For me, January 2027 will mark the beginning of another.

I’m back.

And I hope the next commissioner gives me a reason to stay.

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