Cathy Engelbert’s tenure as commissioner of the WNBA is ending.Engelbert, 61, released a statement through the league Friday morning announcing she will step down at the end of 2026, concluding a seven-year tenure that saw the league reach new heights of popularity and financial success but was also marked by withering criticism of her leadership.“Over the years, it has been amazing to watch WNBA players thrive and lead the massive cultural surge around women’s sports,” Engelbert said in her statement. “I retire knowing we have built something bigger, stronger and more enduring than we could have imagined. I am grateful to the WNBA and NBA team owners and staff, players, investors, fans and the powerhouse league office staff, who believed in what this league could become. I retire with immense gratitude and tremendous optimism for the future of the WNBA, with the best yet to come.”Cathy Engelbert announces her retirementAnnie CostabileNBA commissioner Adam Silver sent memos to league stakeholders Friday, including the WNBA Board of Governors, informing them that leadership will “begin the process of selecting a new WNBA commissioner later this month,” a league source said. The person was one of a half dozen league sources who spoke to The Athletic on condition of anonymity about Friday’s developments because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.Engelbert drafted a list of internal and external candidates to replace her, and that list was shared with Silver and the WNBA’s Board of Governors. Silver is expected to select Engelbert’s successor in partnership with the Board.With Engelbert’s contract up at the end of the calendar year, a deadline on her future as commissioner was fast approaching.In a letter sent Friday morning to WNBA players, which was obtained by The Athletic, Engelbert wrote: “I am grateful for your advocacy and your willingness to challenge us to be bold, listen more closely, and think differently. Those conversations were not always easy, but they were essential. You made this league stronger, and you made me a better leader. …“I will run through the tape over the next four months and do everything possible to ensure a seamless transition to the next Commissioner.”Engelbert was named the WNBA’s first commissioner in 2019 after six previous leaders served as president. During her tenure, she brokered two collective bargaining agreements, successfully navigated a pandemic season and helped guide the league’s plans to expand to 18 teams by 2030.A former CEO of Deloitte, she brought a strong business acumen that produced unprecedented financial gains for the WNBA. She facilitated a $75 million capital raise that was initially viewed as a stabilizing move for the league but has since raised questions about the long-term implications of further convoluting the league’s ownership structure.Earlier this year, she also oversaw the ratification of a CBA that introduced player salaries that exceeded $1 million for the first time and a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that tied players’ salaries to revenue in a meaningful way.In 2024, the WNBA secured an 11-year media rights deal that is now worth a reported $3 billion, but the credit for that has largely gone to NBA leadership, which negotiated both leagues’ deals in tandem.Silver’s oversight of Engelbert and the WNBA’s overall business added complexity to her role. Though Engelbert has been the face of the WNBA’s triumphs and failures over the last seven years, several high-ranking league stakeholders, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect personal relationships, said many believe Silver controls the levers.“One of the great misunderstandings is that Cathy has ultimate power,” one high-ranking executive told The Athletic. “She’s in the room, she’s around, but the W makes very few decisions on its own.”Silver began alerting major stakeholders about Engelbert’s retirement roughly 10 minutes before the WNBA issued a release Friday morning. After Silver’s memo, Engelbert sent messages to league stakeholders, including players, the WNBA Board of Governors, team presidents, general managers and investors.Players’ reaction to the news was relatively muted because it didn’t come as a major surprise, according to league sources who were granted anonymity to protect personal relationships.“Cathy Engelbert stepped into the WNBA at a pivotal moment and helped guide the league through a period of extraordinary change,” WNBPA president and L.A. Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike said in a statement released by the association. “Leading through this much change is no small undertaking, and I have great respect for the commitment Cathy brought to the role.”For all of the unprecedented growth Engelbert has overseen, she has also faced heavy criticism for her overall leadership style, specifically from players who were outspoken about her lack of personal connection with them. In recent years, scrutiny of Engelbert has only grown. She has been booed at WNBA arenas and challenged by prominent players.Last season, Minnesota Lynx All-Star Napheesa Collier was particularly pointed in her critique, saying the WNBA had “the worst leadership in the world,” while revealing details of alleged private conversations she had with the commissioner. Several players backed Collier’s remarks.Under Engelbert’s stewardship, off-court issues have consistently threatened to overshadow the league’s on-court product. Star players such as Indiana Fever guards Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers have had stalkers. Several players have revealed online racist messages and death threats they have received. The league’s officiating is also a frequent subject of criticism, given its handling of high-profile botched calls and the general lack of quality refereeing.This season, small rallies have taken place around WNBA arenas over the issue of transgender athletes participating in women’s sports after Cunningham expressed her opposition to their inclusion in an ESPN article — though there are no trans athletes in the league. Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom attempted to declare for the WNBA Draft and was later rejected and banned from the Chicago Sky’s arena after verbally sparring with a player.Though the official process to find Engelbert’s replacement has not begun, the league plans to prioritize a candidate who can build consensus among its stakeholders and, most importantly, with players, according to a source with knowledge of leadership’s expectations who was granted anonymity to protect professional relationships.Silver praised Engelbert in a statement released by the WNBA.“Cathy has presided over the WNBA through the most significant period of growth in the league’s 30-year history,” the NBA commissioner said. “We are grateful for Cathy’s leadership and unwavering commitment to the advancement of women’s basketball.”