INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark said Thursday that WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert hasn’t reached out to her in the aftermath of Napheesa Collier’s statement about an alleged private conversation in which the league’s leader made comments about Clark.
The Indiana Fever guard spoke publicly for the first time since the league’s All-Star Game in July. Clark said Minnesota Lynx star Collier made valid points in her lengthy statement that criticized league officials, particularly Engelbert, for what Collier portrayed as a lack of accountability and care for WNBA players.
Collier said Tuesday that Engelbert told her in a private conversation Clark and other players “should be on their knees” in gratitude for the platform the league has given them. Collier said the commissioner singled out Clark’s endorsement deals, saying she wouldn’t have them if not for the WNBA. Engelbert released a statement a few hours later in which she said she has the “utmost respect” for Collier but was “disheartened” by how her conversations had been characterized.
When Clark was asked if she had heard Collier’s story before this week, Clark responded, “No.” When asked if she had spoken with Engelbert since the reports came out, Clark again responded “No.”
Clark missed the entire second half of the season with a right groin injury that was compounded by what she called the worst sprained ankle of her career. She also said she’s still not 100% healthy and hopes she can start playing five-on-five basketball again sometime in late October and that her top priority at the moment would be working with USA Basketball.
“I think when I get a few years down in my career, this is a moment and a season I’ll look back on and be like, ‘This is why I am who I am today,’” she said. “It’s obviously challenging to think that way right now, but I truly believe that. It was pretty hard sitting on the bench. I’m not going to lie. There were certainly hard days.”
On Tuesday, Collier also recounted a private conversation she said she had with Engelbert in February. Collier said the commissioner told her Clark and other players “should be on their knees” in gratitude for the platform the league has given them. Collier said the commissioner singled out Clark’s endorsement deals, saying she wouldn’t have them if not for the WNBA.
Engelbert released a statement a few hours later in which she said she has the “utmost respect” for Collier but was “disheartened” by how her conversations had been characterized.
Clark said Thursday she had neither heard Collier’s story previously or spoken with Engelbert since the reports came out.
Her Fever teammates also got the chance to speak on the league’s issues at the end-of-season media availability. With a new collective bargaining agreement still to be worked out, more complaints about the officiating and a leaguewide increase in injuries, there was plenty to talk about.
“I’m tired of our league, they need to step up and be better,” outspoken guard Sophie Cunningham said, explaining she thinks there’s a good chance of a lockout in the spring and that she’s heard from NBA players who are upset too. “Our leadership from top to bottom needs to be held accountable. I think that there are a lot of people in the position of power in the WNBA, who they might be really great business people, but they don’t know (expletive) about basketball and that’s got to change.”
She added: “The game’s not fun to watch because everyone’s just trying to kill each other because that’s how you’re going to survive or otherwise you get injured.”
Cunningham knows. She and Clark were two of four Fever players who went down with season-ending injuries this season and then watched their teammates win their first playoff series in a decade before pushing second-seeded Las Vegas to a fifth and final game and then into overtime without their other two All-Stars, center Aliyah Boston and guard Kelsey Mitchell. Boston fouled out and Mitchell was taken to a hospital after suffering cramps so severe she couldn’t feel her legs or feet.
“I’m feeling fine,” Mitchell said. “I don’t think I could play in a real game for another … I mean, realistically, just take some time to rest. But I probably should take some time to kind of reset because I lost a lot of fluid. I just kind of felt scared because my legs were so numb and so paralyzed, so to speak, that I couldn’t feel my feet.”
Fever executives said one of their top offseason priorities was re-signing Mitchell, Indiana’s top scorer.
But before looking ahead to next season, the WNBA and its players must figure out how to resolve the growing complaints — and the looming labor strife.
“We are in the biggest moment in WNBA history. There’s no denying that. Everybody knows that, everybody that’s in a place of power has a true responsibility, even myself, we have a responsibility to make sure this game is in a great place going forward with the CBA and, you know, caring for players and building this league to make sure its in a great spot for many years to come.”
