Overview
- Cathy Engelbert, speaking before Monday’s WNBA Draft, brushed off a question about how long she plans to stay and asked if a man would be asked the same, drawing visible pushback online and from reporters.
- Her comments followed Adam Silver’s March remark that he has not discussed her future with the WNBA board, and multiple outlets have reported her contract runs through the 2026 season.
- The new collective bargaining agreement, reached last month, raises the team salary cap to $7 million for 2026 and starts an 11‑year media package worth about $2.2 billion, expanding pay and exposure for players.
- Engelbert said relations with players have improved and admitted she misread how important team housing is; the CBA keeps housing on request through 2028, then from 2029 teams house only players earning under $500,000.
- She said the league has not received final paperwork on the Connecticut Sun sale to Tilman Fertitta’s group, which is expected to move the team to Houston in 2027 pending approval, and she is targeting the WNBA’s first game outside North America in 2027.