Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have become the faces of the WNBA since arriving in 2024, but not everyone sees it that way.
According to Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, even commissioner Cathy Engelbert has downplayed their impact. During CBA talks, Collier said Engelbert told her that Clark “should be grateful” to the league and that players ought to be “on their knees” thanking her for the new broadcast rights deal. Collier fired back, calling the WNBA “the worst leadership in the world.”
The backlash didn’t stop there. Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas weighed in on Threads, blasting Engelbert’s comments.
“That WNBA commissioner need to upgrade her stance,” Arenas wrote. “Her statement woulda worked if Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark hadn’t come onto the scene. Them two came into the league retiring their parents. They were millionaires in college already.”
Both players entered the league with huge followings and historic NIL valuations. Just before the 2024 draft, On3 listed Clark at $3.4 million and Reese at $1.8 million — figures unheard of in women’s basketball before their arrival. Clark went No. 1 overall, while Reese was selected seventh.
Collier later asked Engelbert what her plans were for stars like Clark and Reese, who are clearly driving revenue for the league. Engelbert reportedly replied that the WNBA was their “gateway” to those earnings.
“You should be grateful”: Gilbert Arenas turns the table on WNBA Commissioner after remarks on Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese
Gilbert Arenas didn’t hold back when the subject came up again on “The Gilbert Arenas Show.”
“They made more money in college than most of your teams combined,” he said. “‘They should be grateful?’ No, you should be grateful that these two women was poppin’ in the college basketball to bring their fandom to your league. You should be grateful.”
That sentiment resonated across social media. For once, the fanbases of Clark and Reese — who usually clash — found common ground, directing their frustrations at the commissioner. Their stance was simple: Clark and Reese aren’t just benefiting from the league, they’re carrying it into a new era of visibility.
For more sports content:
Follow us @HardwoodHeroics for your NBA and college basketball reading fix. You can reach out to Dan Agulto through email at papadanph@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest sports news, click here!
Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
