‘Worst management on the planet,’ says WNBA participant in drama overshadowing finals

[ad_1] The WNBA finals begin Friday, but it surely's not the matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury that has basketball followers speaking.

It is the matchup between Minnesota Lynx's five-times All-Star Napheesa Collier and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after Collier ripped into the WNBA's management in a post-season media convention Tuesday.

Collier, a vice chairman with the WNBA gamers' union and co-founder of low season 3x3 basketball league Unequalled, accused the WNBA of a "tone-deaf, dismissive" strategy to gamers. In her four-minute speech, Collier blasted Engelbert for being "negligent" in her governance.

"We've got one of the best gamers on the planet. We've got one of the best followers on the planet. However proper now we've got the worst management on the planet," Collier mentioned Tuesday.

"[Officiating] has now reached ranges of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity during which it operates," Collier informed reporters. "They ignore the problems that everybody inside the sport is begging to be fastened — that's negligence."

Engelbert has since launched an announcement that she's "disheartened" by Collier's characterizations, and has the "utmost respect" for her and all WNBA gamers. However followers are flooding social media with requires Engelbert, who turned the league's commissioner in 2019, to be fired.

"You are a shame," wrote one fan on X, as others informed her to "pack your baggage."

The gamers, in the meantime, additionally seem like backing Collier.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A screenshot of an Instagram post on the WNBPA's official account. It shows a a woman wearing a shirt that says pay us what you owe us. The caption says: Napheesa Collier is an outstanding leader and Officer of this Union. When Phee speaks, people listen. We are confident that her words today speak to the feelings and experiences of many, if not most or all of our members. The leaders of the league and its teams would benefit from listening to her powerful statement. The players know their value even if the league does not. They are fighting for their legacy and the future of basketball." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648092.1759332076!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/wnbpa-instagram.jpg?im=Resize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648092.1759332076!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/wnbpa-instagram.jpg?im=Resize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648092.1759332076!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/wnbpa-instagram.jpg?im=Resize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648092.1759332076!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/wnbpa-instagram.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4640198511166254" data-cy="image-img"/> A screenshot of an Instagram publish on the WNBPA's official account from Tuesday supporting Collier. (@wnbpa/Instagram) "I will experience with Phee all the time," mentioned Aces star and MVP A'ja Wilson in response.

"Phee speaks for me," Seattle Storm ahead and WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike posted on X.

"When Phee speaks, individuals pay attention. We're assured that her phrases right this moment converse to the sentiments and experiences of many, if not most or all of our members," the WNBA gamers affiliation posted in an announcement on Instagram.

However how did we even get right here? What precisely is the difficulty? Let's again up.

WATCH | Napheesa Collier blasts WNBA management: WNBA has 'the worst management on the planet,' WNBA union official says

Hear an excerpt from Napheesa Collier, a participant with the Minnesota Lynx, WNBA union rep and co-founder of a 3-on-3 basketball league, as she calls out commissioner Cathy Engelbert over league management. Coach goes 'scorched earth' after Collier damage Collier's feedback got here after the Lynx's Sport 3 semi-final recreation towards the Mercury on Friday, throughout which Collier suffered an ankle damage as Phoenix ahead Alyssa Thomas stole the ball within the remaining minute of play. Thomas wasn't referred to as for a foul.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve launched into an expletive-laden tirade towards recreation officers after the incident. Or, to cite Sports activities Illustrated, she went "scorched earth."

She pursued and berated a recreation official on the court docket, was gradual to depart after her ejection with 21.8 seconds remaining, directed profanity towards followers whereas exiting and later launched right into a blistering critique of the league's officiating in her post-game press convention.

"I need to name for a change of management on the league degree in the case of officiating. It is dangerous for the sport. The officiating crew that we had tonight, for the management to deem these three individuals semi-finals playoff worthy is f--king malpractice," Reeve mentioned within the press convention.

The WNBA slapped her with a one-game suspension and a league document $15,000 US high-quality. Then, the Lynx have been eradicated from the playoffs on Sunday in a Sport 4 that Collier missed together with her ankle damage and Reeve missed as a result of she was suspended.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A woman in a coach's uniform is held back by several other people on a basketball court" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648118.1759333280!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/basketball-wnba-pho-min.JPG?im=Resize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648118.1759333280!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/basketball-wnba-pho-min.JPG?im=Resize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648118.1759333280!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/basketball-wnba-pho-min.JPG?im=Resize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648118.1759333280!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_1180/basketball-wnba-pho-min.JPG?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Reeve is held again after being ejected throughout recreation three towards the Phoenix Mercury of the second spherical for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at PHX Area on Sept. 26. (Rick Scuteri/Imagn Pictures/Reuters) On Tuesday, Collier mentioned she by no means heard from Engelbert concerning the name or her damage.

"Not one name, not one textual content. As a substitute, the one outreach has come from her No. 2 telling my agent that she would not consider bodily play contributed to accidents. That's infuriating," Collier mentioned.

"It is the right instance of the tone deaf, dismissive strategy that our leaders all the time appear to take."

Engelbert was additionally referred to as out by gamers again in 2024 for not taking a stronger stand towards hate speech and social media vitriol as gamers confronted racist and misogynistic feedback, USA At this time stories.

Feedback additionally come throughout negotiations The remarks additionally come amid more and more acrimonious collective bargaining settlement (CBA) negotiations between the league and gamers. The present CBA is about to run out on October 31.

The 2 sides have been at odds over participant pay, the union mentioned in July, with younger stars like Caitlin Clark driving new curiosity within the league and a brand new media rights deal kicking in subsequent season.

"[Engelbert] informed me 'Gamers needs to be on their knees thanking their fortunate stars for the media rights deal that I obtained them'," Collier mentioned Tuesday. "That is the mentality driving our league from the highest."

Engelbert didn't tackle the precise feedback Collier mentioned she made within the personal dialog, solely saying that "views differ."

Ladies's basketball has skilled a dramatic rise in reputation over the previous few years, between the emergence of famous person gamers like Clark, the growth of the WNBA, and a surge in March Insanity viewership. However salaries stay a sore level.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Two women embrace on a basketball court. One holds a trophy" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648211.1759338018!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/wnba-commissioner-cathy-engelbert.jpg?im=Resize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648211.1759338018!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/wnba-commissioner-cathy-engelbert.jpg?im=Resize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648211.1759338018!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/wnba-commissioner-cathy-engelbert.jpg?im=Resize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7648211.1759338018!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/wnba-commissioner-cathy-engelbert.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Engelbert poses with Collier following the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Sport at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19. (Getty Pictures) As an example,the WNBA's No. 1 draft choose Paige Bueckers was projected to earn simply $78,831 US for her rookie yr — about $109,480 Cdn, or lower than the actual median family revenue within the States. The No. 1 draft choose for the NBA, by comparability, can anticipate to earn $13.8 million US in his rookie yr, in accordance with sports activities wage reporting website Spotrac.

Many gamers complement their incomes taking part in abroad in the course of the low season, a difficulty not too long ago highlighted when WNBA participant Brittney Griner was detained in Russia on drug-related costs that ended with a prisoner swap.

In July, the WNBPA admonished the league simply forward of the all-star recreation, saying the WNBA had failed to deal with their priorities. Ogwumike, the WNBPA president, informed reporters on the time that they have been celebrating superb development, however "it isn't misplaced on us that we're residing the expansion as we're negotiating our value."

"The followers know what we're value. Now we'd like the league to know what we're value."

Lots of the gamers warmed up for the WNBA all-star recreation in shirts that learn "Pay us what you owe us."

WATCH | The ladies's sports activities motion: Ladies's sports activities aren't simply having a second, they're having a motion

From the launches of the PWHL and the NSL, to the smashing success of the WNBA lately, ladies's sports activities have grow to be huge enterprise. [ad_2] Source link