Cathy Engelbert, the WNBA’s first commissioner, just wrapped up her final WNBA Finals, marking the end of an era that saw the league explode. She took the job back in 2019, and after seven years, the role has truly outgrown what she initially thought it would be.
“Hypergrowth” and a League Transformed
Under Engelbert’s watch, the WNBA has hit “hypergrowth” status, transforming the entire league. We’re talking about real, tangible progress here. Think about her iconic high heels, the ones with the logos of all 12 WNBA teams , a Christmas gift from her daughter. She joked they’d become collector’s items thanks to expansion, and boy, was she right. This period saw six new franchises announced during her tenure! It was only three years ago this month that the Golden State franchise came aboard, the first new team since 2008 when the Atlanta Dream joined up. That’s massive. This past Saturday, ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, she held her last state-of-the-league press conference in one of those very expansion cities, with the Valkyries taking a 1-0 series lead over the Dream.
The Job Got Tough, Real Tough
Engelbert didn’t shy away from admitting that the job itself became “a little more complex stakeholder group than I understood when I took the job because the league was so small back then.” The role, honestly, outgrew her own initial vision for it. New teams, more partners, better marketing, and a surge in interest completely restructured what the commissioner’s job actually is. Remember those intense collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations? Last year’s Finals presser was filled with anxiety and even saw her called out by WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier. The last CBA, she mentioned, “turned ugly in a way common in men’s professional sports, but had yet to be seen in the WNBA.” The friction grew with national media, too, an aspect of the job she never seemed fully comfortable with. She even mentioned the toll the public role took on her family when announcing her retirement.
What’s Next for the WNBA?
This year’s Finals press conference? It was different. A calmness settled over the room, no tension, no probing questions about her leadership, no big news to dissect. It was a stark contrast to the year before, which tells you everything about where the league is heading. Engelbert said it herself: “Legacies are for history books to write.” For her successor, the path is clear, but tough. They’ll have to manage this complex stakeholder group, build relationships with players and agents, and sustain this incredible growth. The WNBA is in a new era, and the next leader will need to be ready for everything that comes with it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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