Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier lambasts WNBA league office in four-minute statement

The GIST: Need a little push to say exactly what’s on your mind? Look no further than the aforementioned Collier’s exit interview, where the five-time All-Star lambasted Commissioner Engelbert and the league office in a two-page prepared statement. Receipts, incoming.

👀 What Collier said: The Lynx star spoke candidly about two of the biggest issues plaguing the league: ongoing CBA negotiations between the W and the Women’s National Basketball Players’ Association (WNBPA), and the league’s oft-criticized officiating, saying the latter is “the perfect example of the tone-deaf, dismissive approach that our leaders always seem to take.”

Okay, that’s a lot to dissect:

1️⃣ The league’s CBA negotiations are a hot topic, especially with the October 31st deadline looming. Amid an already tense (and public) back-and-forth between the WNBPA and the league, Collier shared that Engelbert had previously said players should be grateful for the platform the league provides, a stark contrast to the WNBPA’s stance on more representative pay.

2️⃣ Collier discussed the WNBA’s sustainability in a similar vein. Engelbert has used the league’s long-term viability as a reason not to pay players more, citing a push for profitability. But Collier argued that “what’s truly unsustainable” is an on-court product marred by poor officiating.

• Collier elaborated, calling the lack of urgency to address the refereeing issue “self-sabotage” and arguing that the real threat to the WNBA’s sustainability isn’t money or viewership — it’s league office accountability.

3️⃣ Collier co-founded innovative 3v3 league Unrivaled last year, so if anyone knows the trials and tribulations of running a league, it’s her. The seven-year WNBA vet highlighted the importance of the “human element” of leadership, something both current and former players feel is lacking under Engelbert.

The response: Support for Collier is pouring in from players across the league, as well as from the WNBPA. Engelbert also responded to Collier’s statement, saying her “focus remains on ensuring a bright future for the players and the WNBA.” Only time will tell exactly what that future looks like — and whether Engelbert will be a part of it.