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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert dedicated the first serious part of her press conference at the league’s All-Star game to addressing “harassment” of players.
She said the league will implement “next steps” to address “all aspects” of the player experience on the field, off the field and online.”
“The racism, the misogyny, the homophobia, the harassment and the threats against our players have no place in the sport or anywhere else,” Engelbert said, adding that the problems have intensified in recent weeks but have also been present since “the moment I walked in the door.
“There is more work to be done and we need to make sure we do it.”
CAITLIN CLARK MAKES WNBA HISTORY WITH RECORD-BREAKING GAME AFTER WEEKS OF CONTROVERSY
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks before the WNBA basketball draft in New York on April 13, 2026. (Pamela Smith/AP)
Many WNBA fans have expressed concern over suspected racist attacks on phenom Caitlin Clark in recent weeks after she was punched in the throat by Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas during a June 24 game.
Other fans have expressed concern over racially charged comments and threats online directed at Thomas and other players, including Aces player Chelsea Gray, who was targeted by an alleged racial slur in an Instagram DM earlier this month.
Critics have suggested Engelbert be fired for her handling of the league’s controversies this season and in recent years. Engelbert was asked if she expects to become commissioner at the start of the 2027 season. She answered neither yes nor no.
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WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks during a press conference before the WNBA All-Star basketball game on July 19, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
“I’m so blessed to be at the helm of this league in this incredible period of hypergrowth. … I just want to continue to do my job, execute the strategy because it’s been working,” she said.
When asked a question about how the league will address player safety, Engelbert launched into a rant about “keyboard warriors.”
“Someone gave me this term, ‘keyboard warriors’. They’re very, very adamant about getting their messages across to our players, whether it’s through DMs, whether it’s through other means. So again, we’re going to try to attack that and we’re going to communicate a lot more with the players about that,” she said.
Engelbert addressed a question about whether the WNBA will make investigations, fines and suspensions more transparent, but she didn’t give a clear answer to that either, often repeating the line: “We have processes.”
Engelbert was not asked any questions about a recent USA Today column criticizing Clark for her handling of hard contact and questionable refereeing decisions while pleading guilty to the murder of Emmett Till.
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Nor was she asked any other questions specifically about Clark, Thomas’ punch to Clark’s throat or a recent letter sent to the league by 11 GOP lawmakers pushing for greater accountability regarding the physical treatment of Clark.
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Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner, tees off on the 18th hole during the first round of the 2026 American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course on July 10, 2026 in Stateline, Nev. (Al Chang/ISI Images)
Nor was the commissioner asked about allegedly canceling an interview on “The Dan Patrick Show” in early July.
Engelbert announced that the WNBA will implement a full replay center beginning in 2027 during her press conference.
