The recent weeks have seen WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert come under heavy fire for a variety of issues. Amidst all this, A’ja Wilson has drawn the line on her relationship with Engelbert from the sidelines of the All-Star Game, where she is starting for Team Spoon.
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“My only relationship with Cathy is when she hands me awards, which is great. I love to see her in that light,” Wilson told reporters before the WNBA All-Star Game.
“But I think when it comes to leadership, I’m always big on bonds. I’m always big on connection on a deeper level.
“And I think that’s what we all try to look for when it comes to a leader, when we’re on our teams, when we’re coming to the business table. It’s a partnership, and it should go hand in hand.”
It’s safe to say that Wilson has had many chances to accept awards from the league commissioner. She is the reigning MVP, having won the award a record fourth time in 2025, and received the trophy from Engelbert after a practice session, accompanied by Wilson’s boyfriend Bam Adebayo at the time.
But Wilson’s comments suggest that she doesn’t have a relationship with the league commissioner outside of these ceremonies. Wilson further said that the players were the “true leaders” of the league.
Engelbert has recently come under heavy criticism for not safeguarding player safety in recent weeks, with many even calling for her removal. This is against the backdrop of some players like Alyssa Thomas and Chelsea Gray receiving online abuse and racially motivated comments after controversial on-court incidents.
In fact, last year, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier declared that the league has “the worst leadership in the world.”
Engelbert has also been criticized for the officiating standards, especially when it comes to Caitlin Clark. Critics have often argued that Engelbert has not done enough to protect the league’s biggest asset against excessive physical play, with the matter escalating to the point where 11 US Congressmen wrote to her demanding accountability.
It’s no secret that Engelbert has been at the helm in W’s biggest expansion phase. And while fans believe the growth has stalled, the commish has indicated that she has no plans of stepping down from her role at the moment.
“I’m so blessed to be at the helm of this league during this incredible hypergrowth period. So blessed that these players are putting the product on the court every night, that they stand for the values that the W has long sought for,” Engelbert said, per USA Today.
“So, I will just continue to, you know, do my job and execute the strategy because it has been working … Absolutely, just love this league and blessed to have had the career I had before and the career I have now.”
Only time will tell how satisfied the players are with Engelbert’s conduct and leadership in the coming months. As for what the commissioner needs to do right away, Wilson added, “show us that you hear us, that you’re there for us, and then we go from there.”