WNBPA, players condemn commissioner Cathy Engelbert over interview about race, Caitlin Clark-Angel

The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and several WNBA players have publicly condemned Commissioner Cathy Engelbert following her recent appearance on CNBC, where she addressed concerns about the racial harassment and toxic behavior that has escalated on social media this season. The interview came amid growing tensions surrounding two of the league’s brightest rookies, Caitlin Clark, who is white, and Angel Reese, who is Black. While Engelbert attempted to focus on the positive impact of their on-court rivalry, her comments have sparked backlash for failing to adequately address the serious issue of racial harassment that has affected players across the league.

Engelbert's Comments on CNBC

During the interview, Engelbert was asked about the "darker" and more "menacing" tone that some fans have taken online, particularly in discussions involving Clark and Reese. The rivalry between the two rookies, stemming from their college careers and now playing out on the WNBA stage, has gained widespread attention, but it has also been marred by a troubling undercurrent of racist and abusive comments from fans.

Angel Reese, in particular, has been a frequent target of this harassment. Earlier this month, she revealed that some fans of Clark had not only harassed her online but also issued death threats, followed her home, and shared AI-generated nude photos of her. Reese's case is not isolated—several other players have been subjected to similarly vile behavior. For example, Las Vegas Aces guard Chennedy Carter was called a "ghetto b****" by a fan at her team hotel after a physical play involving Clark. Diamond DeShields of the Dallas Wings also shared a social media post from a fan hoping her spinal tumor would return, underscoring the extreme nature of the abuse.

Despite the gravity of these incidents, Engelbert's response during the interview appeared to sidestep the deeper issues at play. Rather than addressing the specific instances of racial abuse and the toxic culture growing among certain factions of the WNBA's fanbase, Engelbert compared the Clark-Reese rivalry to the famous 1979 NBA rivalry between Larry Bird, a white player, and Magic Johnson, a Black player.

"There's no more apathy. Everybody cares," Engelbert said. "It is a little of that Bird-Magic moment if you recall from 1979 when those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry, one white, one Black. And so we have that moment with these two. But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That's what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don't want everybody being nice to one another."

While her remarks about the importance of rivalries in sports resonated on some level, many felt Engelbert downplayed the seriousness of the racial and social media harassment that has followed this rivalry.

Backlash From the WNBPA and Players

Following Engelbert’s interview, the WNBPA swiftly issued a statement condemning her remarks. The union, led by executive director Terri Jackson, criticized the commissioner for reducing the conversation to the business benefits of a rivalry while neglecting to directly address the toxic and often racist nature of the harassment players are enduring.

"This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model," Jackson said in the statement. "This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked. It demands immediate action, and frankly, should have been addressed long ago."

The union’s statement reflected the sentiment of many WNBA players who felt that Engelbert missed a critical opportunity to condemn the toxic behavior and protect her players. Numerous athletes took to social media to express their disappointment with the commissioner’s response.

Michaela Onyenwere of the Phoenix Mercury responded with a simple but telling tweet: "Yikes." Brianna Turner of the same team followed suit, tweeting, "I stand against all forms of discrimination, hatred, and bias, especially in reference to sports. The intersection of racism and sports should always be rejected. No platform is too big or too small to stand for the right thing. No excuses."

types of comments and hate," she said.

Breanna Stewart and Other Stars Speak Out

Breanna Stewart, one of the biggest stars in the league, also weighed in on the issue after a New York Liberty win over the Dallas Wings. Stewart revealed that she had been part of discussions with the WNBPA about Engelbert’s comments earlier that day and found the commissioner’s response disappointing.

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