NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA and WNBA are still discussing Cathy Engelbert’s future, while praising the league’s progress under her leadership. He said the WNBA is in a strong position and that the recent collective bargaining agreement helped reset the league economically.
His remarks came amid criticism of the WNBA over the Alyssa Thomas-Caitlin Clark incident, player frustration, and broader concerns about league leadership. Silver did not predict whether Engelbert will remain commissioner, saying the matter remains open.
Adam Silver Addresses Cathy Engelbert’s Future Amid Ongoing WNBA Discussions
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA and WNBA are having “ongoing discussions” about the future of WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, even as he praised the league’s recent progress under her leadership. His comments came on Tuesday night during a press conference at NBA Summer League, where he was asked directly about Engelbert’s long-term future with the league.
- Adam Silver Addresses Cathy Engelbert’s Future Amid Ongoing WNBA Discussions
- WNBA Faces Scrutiny After Alyssa Thomas-Caitlin Clark Incident
- Engelbert Under Pressure From Multiple Sides
- Growing Tensions Between Players and League Leadership
- Silver Says the CBA Reset Was Long Overdue
- What This Means for the WNBA
Silver was clear that he views the WNBA as being in a strong position, but he stopped short of making any predictions about Engelbert’s job status. According to the news source, Silver said he was “pleased” with the current state of the league and the “tremendous progress” it has made under Engelbert.
“I think Cathy continues to do a strong job building that league,” Silver said, while adding that he did not want to speak for Engelbert. “We’ll have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like.”
WNBA Faces Scrutiny After Alyssa Thomas-Caitlin Clark Incident
Silver’s remarks came during a period of intense attention on the WNBA office and Engelbert. The recent controversy centered on Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas and an on-court incident involving Caitlin Clark during a loose-ball scramble in a game against the Fever.
Thomas put her hand in Clark’s throat during the play, which was not called a foul during the game. The moment quickly spread across social media and triggered widespread outrage. The league later upgraded the play to a Flagrant 2 and suspended Thomas for one game.
That decision became part of a larger debate after Sports Business Journal reported that Engelbert had not planned to suspend Thomas until Silver, who is technically her boss because of the ownership structure between the NBA and WNBA, persuaded her to do so. The WNBA rejected that report and called it “absolutely false.”
Engelbert Under Pressure From Multiple Sides
Engelbert has been facing criticism from inside and outside the league. Thomas did not object to the suspension itself, but she expressed frustration with the way the punishment was handled and with the abuse that followed after the incident became viral.
“Honestly, I didn’t even know I was being suspended until 10 minutes before it was put on social media,” Thomas told reporters. “We still have yet to hear anything from Cathy. It’s no surprise; you can see what’s being said on social media, and yeah, I mean it’s unfortunate, but as usual, she remains silent, and that’s unfortunate when our lives are being threatened.”
After Thomas spoke publicly about the harassment, Engelbert released a statement saying that the WNBA “vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate.”
Engelbert, who has served as WNBA commissioner since 2019, also drew criticism for canceling an interview with radio host Dan Patrick at the last minute. The cancellation happened after the two had both been at a golf tournament, where Engelbert had initially agreed to speak and was reportedly playing nearby during his show.
Growing Tensions Between Players and League Leadership
Pressure on Engelbert has been building for some time. Players have openly expressed frustration since the end of last season, when Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier called WNBA leadership the “worst in the world.”
Tensions increased further during the offseason as negotiations over the collective bargaining agreement dragged past the deadline. The long dispute put the 2026 season in jeopardy until the very last minute, adding more strain to the relationship between the league and its players.
Despite the conflict, the league eventually reached a historic CBA agreement with the WNBA Players Association in March. The deal increased player salaries by 364%, marking a major financial change for the league.
Silver Says the CBA Reset Was Long Overdue
After the agreement was reached, Silver said he and Engelbert had not discussed her future at the time, and he said he was unsure how long she wanted to remain commissioner. A few weeks later, at the WNBA Draft, Engelbert pushed back against questions about Silver’s comments and her employment plans.
“I wonder whether you would ask that of a man?” Engelbert said. “I realize as women we get asked different questions than men do. But I’m so proud of this league and we are working really hard to make our 30th season our best ever and to continue to build that sustainable economic model we need for the future. Nothing else to report, which is probably why Adam (Silver) didn’t report anything. There is no story here. I’m thrilled with our trajectory, I’m thrilled with the growth, thrilled with what we’ve done over the past couple years and really looking forward to the next few years.”
At NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Silver returned to the broader picture and said the league appeared to be in a better place after the CBA negotiations. He said the WNBA had started the season strongly and praised both sides for the outcome of the process.
“Again, this season, we’re off again to a very strong start,” Silver said. “I think my sense was, I was behind the scenes in the collective bargaining process, but I was pleased both with how the league conducted itself and ultimately the Players Association. I think that we reset economically, which was long overdue, and my sense is, talking directly with the players, that they are pleased with the outcome.”
What This Means for the WNBA
For now, Silver’s comments suggest that no immediate decision has been made about Engelbert’s future. Instead, the NBA and WNBA are continuing to talk through what comes next while the league deals with public criticism, player frustration, and the aftereffects of the Thomas-Clark incident.
The situation reflects a complicated moment for the WNBA: strong growth and major progress on one hand, but ongoing questions about leadership, communication, and how the league handles pressure in high-profile controversies.
As Silver made clear, the discussions are still ongoing, and the future remains open.
