WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's Caitlin Clark feedback resurface

[ad_1] Fox News host Brian Kilmeade weighs in on the treatment Caitlin Clark has received since she entered the WNBA and how the league has handled it on 'The Big Weekend Show.'

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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's previous comments about league and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark' s incomes potential throughout a CNBC interview resurfaced on social media Friday.

The earlier feedback got here to mild after Engelbert denied telling Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier that Clark "must be grateful she makes $16 million off the courtroom as a result of with out the platform that the WNBA provides her, she would not make something," in accordance with Collier.

Whereas Engelbert denied making that assertion throughout a information convention Friday, her earlier feedback throughout an interview on the CNBC Changemakers Summit in April 2024 echoed related themes.

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Caitlin Clark poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after she is chosen because the No. 1 total choose by the Indiana Fever within the 2024 WNBA Draft at Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, N.Y., April 15, 2024. (Brad Penner/USA As we speak Sports activities)

"Caitlin has the flexibility to make as much as a half-million {dollars} simply in WNBA wages this 12 months. So, after all, they’re simply taking a look at a base which is collectively bargained. And, truly, it’s low as a result of she’s the No. 1 choose. She’ll make just a little greater than that," Engelbert stated.

"She additionally has tens of millions and tens of millions of {dollars} [in] endorsements. As a result of she declared to change into professional, her endorsements are increased in greenback worth. She has a worldwide platform now, not only a U.S. platform. So, she’s going to just do high quality as will the highest gamers within the league as each league does."

Engelbert's made the feedback simply days after Clark was chosen with the No. 1 choose within the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Fever. Clark's WNBA base wage that 12 months was simply $76,535.

Clark did signal an eight-year, $28 million take care of Nike that she signed in April 2024, earlier than she ever performed a recreation within the WNBA. And she or he had earlier offers with Nike and different sponsors throughout her faculty profession at Iowa.

The commissioner confronted immense backlash from followers, media pundits and active players after Collier made the allegations that Engelbert stated Clark must be "grateful" and "would not make something" with out the WNBA final week, which Collier stated got here in a personal dialog.

Collier additionally alleged Engelbert instructed her, "Gamers must be on their knees, thanking their fortunate stars for the media rights deal that I obtained them."

Whereas addressing the alleged feedback about Clark, Engelbert denied making them.

"Clearly, I didn't make these feedback. Caitlin has been a transformational participant on this league. She's been an important consultant of the sport. She’s introduced in tens of tens of millions of recent followers to the sport," Engelbert stated at Friday's information convention.

Nevertheless, Engelbert didn't explicitly deny making the alleged feedback about gamers that "must be on their knees." As an alternative, the commissioner responded by claiming there have been plenty of "inaccuracies" reported within the media.

"There's plenty of inaccuracy on the market by social media and all this reporting," Engelbert stated. "Loads of reporting, plenty of innacuracy about what I say, what I did not say."

INSIDE CAITLIN CLARK AND ANGEL REESE'S IMPACT ON MEN'S BASKETBALL

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier has been outspoken about WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's current feedback. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Photographs)

Engelbert later stated, "I am disheartened. I am a human too. I've a household. I've two youngsters who're devastated by these feedback. So, all I say is that it is clearly been a tricky week, and I simply suppose there's plenty of innacuracy on the market."

Nonetheless, Engelbert acknowledged that if gamers do not feel "appreciated," she has "to do higher."

"I used to be disheartened to listen to that some gamers really feel the league and that I personally don't care about them or hearken to them," Engelbert stated earlier than Sport 1 of the WNBA Finals Friday night time.

"If the gamers within the ‘W’ don’t really feel appreciated and worth from the league, now we have to do higher, and I've to do higher."

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The WNBA and its gamers' union, the WNBPA, are in negotiations for a brand new collective bargaining settlement.

The gamers’ affiliation and the WNBA agreed to an eight-year settlement in 2020, however the WNBPA voted final eyar to choose out of the settlement early. The present settlement expires Oct. 31.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports activities author for Fox Information Digital. He beforehand labored for ESPN and Enterprise Insider. Jackson has lined the Tremendous Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.