Cathy Engelbert is stepping down as WNBA commissioner at the end of this year, closing a tenure that spanned more than seven years and included some of the most significant growth in the league's history. Her retirement takes effect December 31.
Engelbert sent a private message directly to WNBA players announcing her decision before it became public. The message was later shared by Alexa Philippou on X. According to Yahoo Sports, the letter was written in full and addressed players without an intermediary.
"When I accepted this role in 2019, I imagined it might be a brief chapter at the end of a long career in business," Engelbert wrote. "Instead, it became seven plus years of the most meaningful, demanding, and rewarding years of my life."
Her departure comes as tensions between Engelbert and several prominent players had grown visible. Napheesa Collier had publicly criticized the commissioner over player safety and physical play in the paint. Sophie Cunningham stated she wanted a leader who listens to locker rooms rather than, in her view, playing politics.
Engelbert addressed that friction directly in her letter to the players. "I am grateful for your advocacy and your willingness to challenge us to be bold, listen more closely, and think differently," she wrote. "Those conversations were not always easy, but they were essential. You made this league stronger, and you made me a better leader."
In the letter, Engelbert pointed to several developments during her tenure as evidence of the league's growth. She cited the most recent collective bargaining agreement, what she described as the most valuable media rights deal in women's sports history, and what she called unprecedented levels of investment, expansion, and fan engagement. She credited the players directly for those outcomes.
"Every milestone we've achieved — from this year's CBA to the most valuable media rights deal in women's sports history and the unprecedented investment, expansion, and fan engagement we've experienced — begins with you," she wrote. "Your talent, leadership, and influence have driven this growth, and I am deeply grateful to have had the privilege of supporting you and witnessing the lasting impact you have made on this league and across women's sports."
Engelbert said she plans to remain fully engaged through the end of her term. "I will run through the tape over the next four months and do everything possible to ensure a seamless transition to the next Commissioner," she wrote, adding that she would remain available to support players and the league after her departure.
The commissioner took the role in 2019 after more than 40 years in business. She described her time leading the league as the most rewarding stretch of that career. Her final act in the role will include overseeing the end of the current WNBA playoffs and the crowning of a champion. No successor has been publicly named.
