Cathy Engelbert is retiring as WNBA commissioner, and fans have plenty to say about the major announcement!
After seven seasons as the first commissioner of the WNBA, Engelbert has announced her retirement effective December 2026.
“After more than seven years at the WNBA and more than 40 years total in business, I have made the decision to retire as WNBA Commissioner,” Engelbert said in her official statement. “In 2019, I had the privilege of being appointed the league’s first commissioner and to lead a league with enormous potential yet untapped awareness and significant undervaluation.”
The WNBA commissioner added, “Over the years, it has been amazing to watch WNBA players thrive and lead the massive cultural surge around women’s sports.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Has Nothing But Praise For Cathy Engelbert
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also praised Engelbert’s contributions, highlighting how she shaped the WNBA to what it is today.
“Cathy has presided over the WNBA through the most significant period of growth in the league’s 30-year history,” he stated. “We are grateful for Cathy’s leadership and unwavering commitment to the advancement of women’s basketball.”
Not A Sudden Decision
Engelbert, who will turn 62 in November, revealed in an interview that she has been thinking about retiring for months.
“When I first came to the league I intended to do this for 3 1/2 years,” she told The Associated Press. “The 7 1/2 years exceeded that time. This is a really good time given the financial transformation journey we’ve been on. Getting the collective bargaining agreement done, getting a long-term media rights deal done, getting expansion done.”
Engelbert also insisted that the retirement decision was solely her own, and that she did not feel any pressure to step down from NBA or WNBA stakeholders.
Who Will Replace Cathy Engelbert?
When it comes to her replacement, Engelbert said she has been working on a succession plan over the last few years. While she didn’t give any specifics on who might be considered for the position, the commissioner revealed that there are both internal and external candidates with the highest potential.
“It’s a good time to hand it off to the next leader to take the ‘W’ into a better phase,” Engelbert said. “I’m proud of the team we built and everything we accomplished. A leader knows when it’s time to drop the mic and move on after building a powerhouse team in the league office.”
While the retirement was entirely her own decision, Engelbert said she still has mixed emotions about leaving.
“I love women’s basketball and am not going anywhere yet,” she said. “We’ll run a real succession process in the remaining four months. If we don’t find someone I’ll stay on. I had no transition. I walked in the door and I was by myself as no one transitioned me into this role.”
Engelbert added, “Hopefully I can help this next leader transition in especially considering the elevation of this league.”
WNBA Fans React To Cathy Engelbert’s Retirement News
While plenty of league fans showed their support for Engelbert, others were a little more ecstatic about her retirement. One user from Threads wrote, “Cathy Engelbert announced her retirement… Don’t you worry, Cathy, we’ll find your replacement…no need to volunteer to stay on until the position is filled.”
Another person noted, “Bye bye Cathy Engelbert she treated the face of the league Caitlin Clark terribly and wouldn’t punish anyone who committed flagrant foul against her and had to be persuaded by Adam Silver himself. Now the WNBA needs an ally of CC to be commissioner to take the league to a better direction.”
The third one added, “WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s stepping down at the end of 2026. She grew the league significantly but clashed with players over her management style during her tenure.”
During Engelbert’s tenure, the league has grown at an exponential rate, with high television ratings, strong attendance, a new long-term media rights deal, and expansion to 18 teams by the end of the decade.
However, the WNBA’s growth has not come without its share of turmoil and tension.
Players have expressed their dismay over the league’s handling of their safety, especially amid the social media vitriol directed toward them in recent years.
