Fever guard Caitlin Clark joined the chorus of other WNBA stars this week in voicing support for Napheesa Collier after the Lynx forward ripped WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s “negligent” governance, in addition to the league office’s lack of accountability.
“Phee said all of it,” Clark said Thursday, “what she said and the points she made.”
Clark said Collier “made a number of very valid points” and stressed the importance of getting “great leadership on this time across all levels” as contentious negotiations for a brand new collective bargaining agreement appeared to have hit a stalemate.
“That is straight up crucial moment on this league’s history, where this league’s been around for 25-plus years, and this can be a moment we’ve to capitalize on,” Clark said. “So, that’s truthfully what I’d say. Phee said all of it, what she said and the points she made.”
Clark said she wasn’t aware before Tuesday that Engelbert allegedly told Collier and others in a closed-door meeting earlier this yr that “Caitlin needs to be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”
Clark said she hasn’t heard from Engelbert since Collier’s statement went viral.
Engelbert responded to Collier in a press release that said, partially, she was “disheartened by how Napheesa characterised our conversations and league leadership.”
Engelbert never categorically denied suggesting that Clark’s off-court success is tied on to the WNBA.
It’s value noting that Clark signed her $28 million Nike deal before she stepped foot on a WNBA court.
