WNBA commissioner vows to deal with harassment and discrimination against players
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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert devoted the critical first part of her press conference at the league’s All-Star Game to addressing the “abuse” of players. He said the league will take “next steps” to address “all aspects” of the player experience, on the field, off the court and online.
“Racism, misogyny, homophobia, harassment and threats against our players have no place in sports or anywhere else,” Engelbert said, adding that the issues have intensified in recent weeks but have also been a problem since “the moment I walked in the door.”
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WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks before the WNBA basketball draft in New York on April 13, 2026. (Pamela Smith/AP)
“There’s a lot of work to be done and we need to make sure we do it.”
Many WNBA fans have expressed concern over an alleged racist attack on Caitlin Clark in recent weeks, after she was punched in the throat by Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas during a game on June 24.
Some fans have expressed concern over racist comments and online threats directed at Thomas and other players, including Aces player Chelsea Gray who received an alleged racial slur in an Instagram DM earlier this month.
Critics have called for Engelbert to be fired for his handling of the league’s controversies this season and in years past. Engelbert was asked if he expects to be commissioner at the start of the 2027 season. He didn’t answer yes or no.
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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks during a news conference before the WNBA All-Star basketball game on July 19, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
“I am blessed to lead this league in this amazing time of growth… I will continue to do my job, I will make a plan because it has been working,” he said.
When asked the question of how the league would deal with player safety, Engelbert turned the answer into rhetoric about “keyboard warriors.”
“Someone gave me this term, ‘keyboard warriors,’ they are very strong in conveying their messages to our players, whether through DMs, or in other ways. So, again, we will try to attack it and we will communicate more with the players about that,” he said.
Engelbert answered a question about whether the WNBA would make investigations into fines and suspensions more transparent, but did not give a clear answer to that, although he repeated the line, “we have procedures.”
Engelbert was not asked any questions about a recent USA Today column that criticized Clark for his handling of hard contact and questionable refereeing decisions while calling for the execution of Emmett Till.
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He also wasn’t asked any other questions about Clark, Thomas’ at Clark’s throat or the recent letter sent to the league by 11 GOP lawmakers demanding more accountability for Clark’s physical handling.
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Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner, tees off on the 18th hole in the first round of the 2026 American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course on July 10, 2026, in Stateline, Nev. (Photos by Al Chang/ISI)
The commissioner was not questioned about the allegations that he canceled an interview on the Dan Patrick Show in early July.
Engelbert announced that the WNBA will operate a full replay facility starting in 2027 during her press conference.
