No Offseason Newsletter 🏀 | This is The Athletic’s women’s basketball newsletter. Sign up here to receive No Offseason directly in your inbox.Good morning! Once more, a quick request: If you know someone who would love No Offseason, please forward this email to them. Coming up today:
All-Star RecapEngelbert’s job status looms over ASGAll-Star weekend in Chicago was a dream.Take that with a grain of salt, because it’s coming from a woman (Annie) who called Chicago home for 11 years. HOWEVER, I think even the biggest Windy City hater would agree that this year’s WNBA All-Star weekend was special.Despite the fact that it was held under much different circumstances than last year — the CBA is done and the overall vibe between league leadership and players has marginally improved — there was still palpable tension, mainly because of the uncertainty that surrounds commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s job status.I asked Engelbert point-blank if she expects to be commissioner of the WNBA in 2027. She ultimately avoided saying yes or no in her near-three-minute response. She did say she was “so blessed” to be the leader of the WNBA and will “continue to do my job (and) execute strategy, because it has been working.”What has worked well for Engelbert is her overall business strategy. Aside from selling a 16 percent stake of the league in 2022, Engelbert has largely had a successful tenure as commissioner. But when it comes to her communication with players and other league stakeholders, Engelbert has faltered.Two of the league’s biggest stars, four-time MVP A’ja Wilson and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, both said they don’t have a real relationship with Engelbert. Wilson said she only sees Engelbert when she’s getting awards. Clark said she has a “great relationship” with NBA commissioner Adam Silver but not so much with WNBA leadership. But she said Engelbert has “brought a lot to this league” and helped it “reach new milestones.”The question now is whether Engelbert can get back in good standing with the league’s biggest stakeholders and the players, or whether the second half of the season will be her swan song.More Engelbert:
