NBA commissioner Adam Silver celebrated the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement Wednesday, saying it resulted in a “fair outcome” for both sides.
And while he lauded WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert for the “fantastic job” she’s done during her 6 ½-year tenure, questions persist regarding her long-term job security.
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“We haven’t had those discussions yet with the WNBA board,” Silver said when asked whether Engelbert would remain in her post beyond the 2026 season. “I would only say Cathy has done a fantastic job since she’s come to the WNBA. Obviously, you could see [that] in the results.”
The WNBA’s most recent win is the transformational CBA, ratified by both sides this week, which includes a salary system tied to the revenue growth for the first time in league history. The deal also features improved player benefits, baseline standards for team facilities and retirement benefits.
Silver said “people were extremely happy” the WNBA’s eight-day marathon bargaining sessions earlier this month resulted in an agreement reached in time to avoid a delay to the 2026 season.
“People were very pleased with where we came out on the WNBA side,” Silver said. “I’ve talked to many players directly, read the reports coming out of collective bargaining. I’m really pleased that both sides feel that it’s a fair outcome.”
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Now that a CBA is almost in place — the last step is finalizing the actual legally binding document — there’s speculation regarding Engelbert’s future, and her boss, Silver, didn’t provide much clarity.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert Michelle Farsi / New York Post
Silver tapped Engelbert to become the WNBA’s first commissioner in 2019. She led the league through two historic CBA negotiations and the pandemic-impacted 2020 “Wubble” season. Under her leadership, the WNBA also saw a massive growth spurt thanks largely to the incoming talent of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers in recent drafts.
But Engelbert has come under fire amid the contentious labor negotiations that spanned more than 17 months.
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After the Lynx season, Napheesa Collier blasted Engelbert, saying the WNBA had the “worst leadership in the world.” The Women’s National Basketball Players Association vice president also said the “real threat” to the league isn’t money, ratings or the officiating but a lack of accountability at the top.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver talks to the media after the Board of Governors meeting on March 25, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Engelbert has been praised for her business acumen but scrutinized for not having close relationships with players, especially the league’s biggest stars.
One of the darkest stains of Engelbert’s tenure, though, was the decision to sell a 16 percent stake in the league for $75 million in 2022 when the WNBA badly needed capital.
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Since that sale, the WNBA’s popularity has skyrocketed, with franchise valuations, TV viewership, attendance and social-media discourse soaring to all-time highs.
Whether Engelbert even wants to remain the WNBA’s top executive beyond this season isn’t known.
“I haven’t had those discussions recently with Cathy even in terms of her future plans and how long she wants to do this,” Silver said. “She had a storied career before she came to the WNBA as the CEO of Deloitte. I’d only say the results speak for themselves. I am very happy, I know ownership is very happy with where things stand in the WNBA.”
