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WNBA stars are privately celebrating after Cathy Engelbert announced she will retire from her role as commissioner at the end of the calendar year, the Daily Mail understands.
Engelbert has faced huge scrutiny in recent years amid the WNBA's sudden surge in popularity. Last year, she faced a player revolt over pay during negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement.
And while a deal was reached without a players' strike that was threatened, that hasn't stopped political unrest behind the scenes this season.
Treatment of Caitlin Clark, officiating around the league and, most recently, the league's rules around trans athletes, have all come into sharp focus with Engelbert feeling the heat.
The 61-year-old announced Friday she will leave the job and retire - a decision sources tell the Daily Mail came after a realization the time had come to step away from the conversation.
A source told The Daily Mail: 'A lot of players may not say it publicly, but saying they're happy about Cathy's retirement announcement would probably be an understatement.
Cathy Engelbert is retiring from her role as WNBA Commissioner at the end of the year
The league has seen rapid growth, especially since 2024, when Caitlin Clark was drafted
'Cathy hasn't exactly made a lot of friends among players or league executives, and now that the WNBA is getting more attention than ever, there's a growing feeling that the league needs someone who can truly handle that spotlight and help take things to the next level.
'Being commissioner comes with a lot of difficult decisions and challenges, and it seems Cathy realized that things weren't going to get any easier for her. Rather than continuing to be criticized and becoming part of the conversation surrounding the league for all the wrong reasons, stepping away now made sense.
'At the end of the day, people want the WNBA to be defined by its players and what happens on the court - not by a commissioner constantly finding herself at the center of controversy.'
Engelbert hailed the 'massive cultural surge' she has overseen since she took on the job in 2019 - the first WNBA commissioner after the role had previously been called 'president'.
'Over the years, it has been amazing to watch WNBA players thrive and lead the massive cultural surge around women's sports,' Engelbert said in a statement.
'I retire knowing we have built something bigger, stronger and more enduring than we could have imagined. I am grateful to the WNBA and NBA team owners and staff, players, investors, fans and the powerhouse league office staff, who believed in what this league could become. I retire with immense gratitude and tremendous optimism for the future of the WNBA, with the best yet to come.'
WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike and WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson both chimed in following Engelbert's retirement announcement.
Sparks forward Ogwumike, who will also retire from her role at the end of the season, said: 'Cathy Engelbert stepped into the WNBA at a pivotal moment and helped guide the league through a period of extraordinary change.
WNBA players became embroiled in a pay dispute before a new CBA was agreed this year
'As the league's first Commissioner, she championed new growth initiatives, created innovative marketing opportunities for players, and helped drive historic expansion as franchise values reached new heights.
'That expansion speaks to the growing confidence among investors, partners, fans, communities, the players, and to the long-term sustainability of women's basketball as a business.
'Leading through this much change is no small undertaking... We appreciate all she has given to the WNBA and the stronger foundation she leaves for the league and the players.'
WNBA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson did not shy away from her tumultuous relationship with Engelbert.
'Cathy and I have been through a lot together over the years. We didn't always agree,' she said.
'There's no question the WNBA has grown tremendously during Cathy Engelbert's time as Commissioner. She brought a significant amount of business experience to the league and helped make the case for the value of The W and the opportunity in front of it.
'We absolutely shared a belief in what this league could become and in building a better future for the women at the heart of it.
'We navigated some consequential challenges and breakthroughs, including two collective bargaining agreements that changed the trajectory of women's sports. Cathy stayed committed to doing the work and finding a way forward.
'At the end of the day, that's what matters. Leaving the game better than you found it. I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish together and, on behalf of our player membership, I wish Cathy and her family nothing but the best in whatever she chooses to do next.'
Engelbert was an unpopular figure among many players after clashing over various issues
Just moments after Engelbert announced she would retire, Enes Kanter Freedom, the former NBA player trying to campaign against the league's trans policies by entering the WNBA Draft, launched his campaign to replace her.
The former Knicks and Thunder center declared he wants to 'Make WNBA Female Again' and added: 'Commissioner Freedom has a nice ring to it'.
In a video posted on social media while wearing a baseball jersey with 'WNBA' written across the front, he said: 'While the reported retirement of WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is a win for women and an admission that the league's rules must change, her retirement does not solve the systemic issues which must be addressed in order to protect women's sports.
'If the WNBA is unable to define what a woman is, then I, Enes Kanter Freedom, would be more than happy to step in as commissioner and lead this league back to greatness and restore fairness for all women. I'll bring common sense. I'll bring fairness. And yes, I'll bring a dictionary.'
