Napheesa Collier has been one of the most outspoken players in the WNBA’s ongoing CBA negotiations. But her recent criticism of league leadership — particularly commissioner Cathy Engelbert — has escalated tensions as the clock ticks toward the October 31 deadline.
During her exit interview with the Minnesota Lynx, Collier delivered a pointed statement accusing Engelbert of telling players they should be “on their knees” thanking her for securing a new media rights deal. Days later, Collier reportedly canceled her scheduled meeting with the commissioner, a move that didn’t go unnoticed.
Engelbert addressed the controversy in a press conference ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, denying Collier’s version of events.
“I did not make those comments,” Engelbert said. “There is a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media and all of this reporting.”
According to ESPN, their relationship has now soured “beyond repair.” And with the meeting officially scrapped, veteran commentator Jason Whitlock weighed in, suggesting Collier’s standoff might serve her other interests.
“A WNBA lockout is in the best interest of Unrivaled, the competing basketball league that Napheesa Collier owns a stake in,” Whitlock wrote on X. “Remember, ‘Believe all women!’ Also, remember, ‘Be quiet, a black woman is talking.’”
The breakdown between Collier and Engelbert could further complicate the league’s push to reach a new deal with the players’ union — raising the real possibility of a lockout if no compromise is reached by the end of the month.
“Open Your Eyes. It’s Called DEI”: Jason Whitlock’s Blunt Take on Napheesa Collier’s Leadership
On his Fearless podcast, Whitlock continued his criticism of Collier, arguing that the Lynx forward may be overstepping in her role as one of the WNBPA’s key negotiators.
“You don’t even remotely understand how rough negotiations over millions and billions of dollars are,” Whitlock said. “When you get in high-stakes negotiations… really rough things are going to get said, far rougher things than ‘Caitlin Clark should be thanking us that she has this platform to make that $16 million dollars.’”
He also linked Collier’s frustrations about officiating to the league’s broader problems. “There’s no gratitude. There’s nothing but complaints and whining. And you wonder why the officiating sucks? Hey! Open your eyes. It’s called DEI.”
Whitlock argued that the league’s focus on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” has distracted from its foundation — financial growth and long-term stability. In his view, the WNBA’s internal strife is pushing it closer to collapse.
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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.
