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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert didn’t outright accuse Napheesa Collier of lying, but she did insist that there were many “inaccuracies” surrounding what the Minnesota Lynx star said at a press conference Friday night before the WNBA Finals.
Perhaps Engelbert was hoping that strategy would allow her to save face without directly attacking Collier. Whatever the intention, it appears to have backfired.
According to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews and Ramona Shelburne, Collier has now canceled her scheduled meeting with Engelbert due to her comments in the press conference.
They reported that Collier had previously texted Engelbert, stating she was open to meeting with her to discuss the criticism she had laid out in a pointed statement earlier in the week. However, the commissioner’s contention that Collier’s understanding of their private conversation was one with “a lot of inaccuracies” apparently “pretty much pushed the relationship beyond repair,” per ESPN’s source.
A WNBA spokesperson told ESPN that Collier had not let Engelbert know the meeting was cancelled when they reached out.
“There’s a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media and all this reporting,” said Engelbert on Friday night when asked to confirm Collier’s assertion that she had said that the players should be on their knees thanking her. “I have been in touch with Napheesa. We’ve exchanged texts. We’re talking next week. Obviously, a lot of reporting, a lot of inaccuracy about what I said or what I didn’t say. And I will tell you that I highly respect the players. There’s a lot of emotion and passion going on right now cause we’re in collective bargaining, we’re in the WNBA Finals, and so I’ll leave it there.
“I’m just obviously disheartened. You know, I’m a human, too. I have a family. I have two kids who are devastated by these comments. And so all I’ll say is it’s obviously been a tough week, and I just think there’s a lot of inaccuracy out there.”
Engelbert was later asked about her comments about Caitlin Clark and how the Indiana Faver phenom should be thankful to the league for the opportunities it created for her. In that instance, she adamantly denied making those comments, although video of Engelbert speaking at a CNBC conference essentially showed what Collier accused her of saying.
Engelbert does not appear to be winning many hearts and minds these days. Many WNBA players came out in support of Collier and her criticisms of WNBA leadership, including Clark, who said she made “valid points.” It’s becoming increasingly hard to envision how the commissioner can remain in her post for much longer.
