WNBA commissioner plays gender card when asked about future

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has been nether nan spotlight for astir a twelvemonth arsenic she navigated nan convention done a stressful corporate bargaining statement earlier nan commencement of nan 2026 season.

Engelbert addressed nan media Monday nighttime arsenic nan WNBA Draft was group to return place. She raised eyebrows among reporters and fans connected societal media pinch a consequence to a reliable mobility she received.

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WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks astatine nan WNBA hoops draught successful New York connected April 13, 2026. (Pamela Smith/AP)

She was asked astir her early arsenic commissioner and responded by playing nan gender card.

"I do ace up really everybody's focused connected me, and you should beryllium focused connected nan hundreds of astonishing women and thousands of women who tally this convention extracurricular of myself," she said, via USA Today. "I admit that you're focused connected maine arsenic well. I wonderment if you would inquire that of a man, by nan way, but I recognize arsenic women we get asked different questions than men do."

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WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks earlier nan WNBA hoops draught successful New York connected April 13, 2026. (Pamela Smith/AP)

Some societal media users, including columnist Jemele Hill, agreed that she would person gotten nan aforesaid mobility if she were a man.

Engelbert is successful an exclusive nine of female commissioners of master sports. Jessica Berman is nan commissioner of nan National Women’s Soccer League. Meanwhile, commissioners successful each different convention look reliable questions during their ain property conferences successful cardinal points of nan year.

But Engelbert received nan brunt of nan disapproval going into CBA negotiations. The players called connected nan convention to salary its players much successful a objection during nan WNBA All-Star Game.

Minnesota Lynx prima Napheesa Collier blasted WNBA arsenic having nan "worst leadership" astatine nan extremity of nan 2025 season.

Still, Engelbert is still nan commissioner of nan WNBA done nan latest CBA. She added Monday nighttime that nan CBA still needs to beryllium finalized.

She besides said nan convention was looking up to nan early and hoped nan convention would beryllium capable to return nan WNBA overseas whether it’s a regular-season aliases accumulation game.

UCLA halfway Lauren Betts poses pinch WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert aft being selected 4th wide by nan Washington Mystics successful nan first information of nan WNBA draught successful New York connected April 13, 2026. (Pamela Smith/AP)

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"We’re heavy looking astatine that," Engelbert said. "Obviously this twelvemonth we person nan FIBA World Cup. Next twelvemonth we expect that we’ll do thing extracurricular of North America arsenic a existent world game."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.