CHICAGO — Cathy Engelbert was asked a widely expected question about her future as WNBA commissioner. She avoided answering it directly.
Speaking at her press conference Saturday ahead of the WNBA All-Star Game, Engelbert was asked whether she expects to be WNBA commissioner in 2027. She responded with a two-minute answer about continuing to do her job, before praising the growth of the league during her tenure.
“I’m so blessed to be at the helm of this league during this incredible hyper growth period. So blessed that these players are putting a product on the court every night. That they stand for the values that the W has long sought for,” she said.
“I will just continue to do my job, executive the strategy because it has been working, make sure we listen to the players, communicate with the players. Absolutely just love this league and blessed to have had the career I had before and the career I have now. And mostly just the team we build at the league.”
Engelbert’s answers come as questions have swirled about her future. Multiple reports leading into All-Star Weekend have said that owners, front office personnel, and players are skeptical that Engelbert is the right leader for the WNBA post-CBA.
