WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert came under the microscope after Alyssa Thomas’ June 30 statement. “We still have yet to hear anything from Cathy, it’s no surprise,” Thomas said when talking about the toxicity she faced online after her flagrant foul 2 incident on Caitlin Clark. “As usual, she remains silent, and that’s unfortunate when our lives are being threatened,” added Thomas. And now, while discussing her thoughts, The Athletic’s Annie Costabile has revealed what 6x WNBA All-Star DeWanna Bonner had to say about Engelbert.
“I think what also has to be talked about is the fact that DeWanna said she’s not heard from Cathy Engelbert in years,” Costabile said when talking about the June 24, 2026, Clark-Thomas incident on the most recent episode of the ‘No Offseason’ Podcast.
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“To me, that’s quite surprising, especially when you consider that the harassment and threats she’s received go back to last year when she was waived by the Fever and then subsequently signed with the Mercury,” added Costabile.
In her article with Sabreena Merchant, which was published on July 1, Costabile reported that Bonner said she received an “unprecedented onslaught of online harassment” and “it hasn’t stopped” since the Fever waived her in June 2025.
According to The Athletic report, Bonner and Thomas, who are now teammates, had their addresses and phone numbers leaked. They have reported the messages to the authorities and Mercury security to ensure that things do not get worse.
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USA Today reported that Engelbert did exchange texts with Thomas and even sent league security to Phoenix. However, the public statement from the WNBA commissioner came after Thomas’s statement, and Bonner said that the commissioner did not reply to set up a meeting.
“The WNBA vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate. The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is always the league’s top priority,” the league statement said in the official statement.
“We are aware of Alyssa Thomas’ comments, and what she and her teammates have experienced is completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community. The league and our security team have been in contact with the Phoenix Mercury organization and remain committed to protecting all players.”
This isn’t the first time Engelbert has faced such criticism. It was reported during the CBA negotiations that the lack of trust between the players and Engelbert was one of the reasons the negotiations stretched on for 17 months.
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And this time, the corporate-worded statement may not have done Engelbert any favors. DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas expected a more personal gesture, especially in such a sensitive and serious case.
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