Jason Whitlock didn’t mince words when weighing in on the WNBA’s ongoing turmoil. While reacting to Napheesa Collier’s recent exit interview, the Fearless host claimed the league’s problems stem from poor leadership at the top — and went as far as saying women can’t successfully run a professional league.
“I don’t think Cathy Engelbert is very impressive at all,” Whitlock said. “I apologize for being this blunt, I think they’re in the right tribe to get these leadership positions that they have. They know nothing about growing the game of basketball in any real way.”
He continued:
“Women won’t build anything. They’re not going to build a great basketball league. They’re going to destroy it. And they are destroying it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_wJMjplNGU
Whitlock also accused players of mishandling Caitlin Clark’s meteoric rise, noting that the rookie has delivered massive ratings and revenue while the league has failed to maximize her impact. Despite heavy NBA subsidies keeping the WNBA afloat, Whitlock argued the players’ complaints over pay only reinforce his view that they’re contributing to the league’s decline.
“Open Your Eyes. It’s Called DEI”: Whitlock Slams Napheesa Collier, WNBA Comments
Napheesa Collier has been one of the most vocal leaders in the WNBPA’s negotiations with the league, but Whitlock believes her approach reveals inexperience. On Thursday’s episode of Fearless, he said Collier’s claims about Commissioner Cathy Engelbert dismissing players’ value were exaggerated and shortsighted.
“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.’”
Whitlock then turned to Collier’s complaints about WNBA officiating, blaming the league’s approach to social priorities. “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.”
According to Whitlock, the WNBA has become a dysfunctional organization by focusing more on diversity and inclusion than on building financial sustainability. With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire on October 31, he warned that unless something changes, the league could be headed for 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.
