Napheesa Collier stands by criticism of WNBA leaders however says ‘future is vivid’

On Tuesday night at Unmatched media day, league co-founder Napheesa Collier spoke nearly to reporters for the primary time since her end-of-season exit interview with the Minnesota Lynx, when she delivered a scathing pre-written opening assertion calling out WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert for her dismissive perspective towards gamers and saying that the WNBA had “the worst management on this planet.”

These feedback, given within the wake of the Lynx’s semifinal loss to the Phoenix Mercury within the playoffs, went viral and prompted a widespread dialogue about WNBA officiating, the CBA negotiations and Engelbert’s future as commissioner of the league.

“I undoubtedly wasn’t anticipating it to explode the best way that it did,” Collier advised CBS Sports activities when requested concerning the response to her assertion. “I knew folks in our neighborhood clearly would see it, however I undoubtedly did not know that I used to be going to achieve the traction that it did.” 

When requested whether or not her opinion of management had modified prior to now couple of months, particularly as CBA negotiations have heated up, Collier stated it had not. 

“I imply, nothing has modified since then, however I really feel actually assured in our PA and the place we’re internally,” Collier stated. “The dialog has been had now. Individuals are seeing, I believe, that change must be had. It is coming from so many alternative instructions that so many individuals really feel this manner. And I believe we’re simply actually excited for the longer term and what that has to carry, and particularly with all these completely different leagues popping up, Unmatched, our CBA negotiations, the longer term simply appears so vivid. I be ok with it.”

The present WNBA CBA was scheduled to run out on Oct. 30, however the WNBA and WNBPA have agreed to 2 extensions, with the newest one extending the CBA to Jan. 9. The second season of Unmatched, a 3-on-3 league based by Collier and fellow WNBA star Breanna Stewart, ideas off on Jan. 5 and lasts till March. 

Since many WNBA gamers take part in Unmatched and the whole league is predicated in Miami, Unmatched is predicted to be the positioning of loads of CBA discussions and, if and when the brand new CBA will get signed, a hub of WNBA free company motion. Final season, Unmatched was the positioning of a dialog between Engelbert and Collier that Collier made public in her September assertion.

At Unmatched this previous February, I sat throughout from Cathy and requested how she deliberate to handle the officiating points in our league. Her response was, ‘Effectively, solely the losers complain concerning the refs.’ I additionally requested how she deliberate to repair the truth that gamers like Caitlin, Angel and Paige, who’re clearly driving huge income for the league, are making so little for his or her first 4 years. Her response was, ‘Caitlin ought to be grateful she makes $16 million off the courtroom as a result of with out the platform the WNBA offers her, she would not make something.’

In that very same dialog, she advised me ‘gamers ought to be on their knees thanking their fortunate stars for the media rights deal that I obtained them.’ That is the mentality driving our league from the highest. We go to battle every single day to guard a protect that does not worth us. The league believes it succeeds regardless of its gamers, not due to them. 

Engelbert denied making these feedback about Clark and stated she was “disheartened by how Napheesa characterised our dialog.” The 2 events had been supposed to satisfy in individual after the WNBA playoffs, however Collier canceled that assembly after Engelbert’s denial. 

The largest rivalry within the CBA negotiations is over income sharing and salaries. Gamers need to transfer this CBA from a mannequin with mounted salaries and wage caps that improve by a pre-determined proportion every year to a mannequin primarily based income sharing that permits salaries to develop in actual time with the enterprise. The WNBA has included income sharing in its latest proposals, and is providing a wage cap of $5 million, up from $1.5 million presently, and most salaries above $1 million. However as a result of limitations the WNBA is putting on what may be included within the income share, gamers would nonetheless get lower than 15 % of league income. The Athletic reported this week that the WNBPA’s most up-to-date proposal is searching for nearer to 30% of league income. So the 2 sides stay far aside as the brand new yr approaches.

Collier sounded optimistic on Tuesday night time, although, particularly when requested concerning the unity of the gamers all through this combat.

“I believe it has been wonderful. Simply the participant purchase in, the participant participation, the unity in that all of us really feel like we’re in lockstep with what we would like, what we’re keen to do to get there,” Collier stated. “I do not assume there’s fatigue. Clearly, there’s frustrations in that either side are attempting to get what they need, however I believe we nonetheless have that fireplace inside us and that we’re keen to do what it takes, and we’ll do no matter it takes to get what we predict we deserve.”