CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 25: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game between Team Coop and Team Spoon at the United Center on July 25, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sage Zipeto/Getty Images)
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After seven seasons as the first commissioner of the WNBA, Cathy Engelbert has announced her retirement effective at the end of the 2026 calendar year.
Engelbert explained in her official statement, “After more than seven years at the WNBA and more than 40 years total in business, I have made the decision to retire as WNBA Commissioner. In 2019, I had the privilege of being appointed the league’s first commissioner and to lead a league with enormous potential yet untapped awareness and significant undervaluation.”
She continued, “Over the years, it has been amazing to watch WNBA players thrive and lead the massive cultural surge around women’s sports.”
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JUNE 11: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever speak during Game Three of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 11, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated, “Cathy has presided over the WNBA through the most significant period of growth in the league’s 30-year history. We are grateful for Cathy’s leadership and unwavering commitment to the advancement of women’s basketball.”
Cathy Engelbert’s WNBA Tenure: The Highs and Lows
Cathy Engelbert’s tenure as WNBA commissioner will be remembered for a league that grew dramatically in visibility, value and ambition. Since taking over in 2019, Engelbert has overseen some of the most significant business and cultural milestones in WNBA history, from new media deals and record attendance, to rising player salaries, and unprecedented investment in the league.
For example, the 2026 WNBA All-Star outdrew the NBA, selling out United Center in Chicago. Additionally, at the 2026 All-Star break, Engelbert announced the league had reached more than 73 million unique viewers through 117 national broadcasts, in comparison to last season, with 63 million.
During Engelbert’s era, the league has expanded rapidly with the addition of the Golden State Valkyries in 2025, debut of the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo this season, and adding Cleveland in 2027, Detroit in 2029, and Philly in 2030; bringing the league to 18 teams for the first time.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – AUGUST 04: Allison Howard, President of Business Operations for the Cleveland Sirens, helps reveal the new WNBA team’s name and logo at Rocket Arena on August 04, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
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But the growth came with challenges. Engelbert also faced criticism over the league’s handling of player concerns related to safety, toxic online fan cultures, contentious moments surrounding the sport’s biggest stars and questions about whether the WNBA’s business growth was keeping pace with the expectations of its players, particularly related to the CBA and salaries.
Particularly, last season WNBAPA first vice-president Napheesa Collier directly outllined the tension between the players and Engelbert surrounding the officiating in the league in 2025, pay disparity for rookies under the previous CBA, and lack of communication and trust between Engelbert and the players.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JULY 27: Napheesa Collier #24 of the Minnesota Lynx speaks in a post-game press conference after the game between the Minnesota Lynx and the Atlanta Dream at Target Center on July 27, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steven Garcia/Getty Images)
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Her legacy, then, is not simply one of expansion and growth. It is a more complicated story of a league reaching new heights while navigating the growing pains that came with its transformation.
Who Will Replace Cathy Engelbert as WNBA Commissioner?
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 25: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks after the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at the United Center on July 25, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
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Engelbert’s successor will inherit a WNBA that is bigger, more valuable and more visible than the league she took over in 2019, but also one whose players have been increasingly vocal about what they believe needs to change.
That raises a broader question about what kind of leader the league needs next. Given the criticism Engelbert has faced from players during her tenure, there could be a compelling case for putting someone with firsthand experience as a professional basketball player at the helm.
A former player could bring a different perspective to the commissioner’s office, one grounded in an understanding of the league’s workplace, its athletes and the issues they have raised throughout this period of rapid growth.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 22: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert (L) presents A’ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces with the 2024 WNBA MVP award during a news conference before Game One of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs first round between the Aces and the Seattle Storm at Michelob ULTRA Arena on September 22, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Wilson was the unanimous winner of the award, which she also won in 2020 and 2022. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Ultimately, the decision on who succeeds Engelbert rests with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. That decision comes at a consequential moment for the league.
The WNBA’s meteoric rise has brought record attention, investment, and commercial opportunity, but that growth has also coincided with a decline in women occupying leadership positions within the league.
As Silver considers Engelbert’s successor, the choice will say more than just who can steer the WNBA’s next phase of business growth. It will also signal whether the league intends to put women, including those with firsthand experience as players and executives, at the center of its future leadership.
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