Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham called out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Instagram after Napheesa Collier revealed what Engelbert told her about Caitlin Clark and the league’s future. The commissioner said Clark should be grateful for the platform the WNBA gives her.
What Did Sophie Cunningham Say About Cathy Engelbert?
Cunningham wrote two Instagram comments on September 30, 2025, responding to a post about what Engelbert supposedly told Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier.
Cunningham fired off two comments. First, she wrote: “people only know Cathy because of C…. She’s the most delusional leader our league has seen.”
She followed up with an even sharper jab: “AND IT SHOULDN’T EVER BE ABOUT OUR COMMISSIONER IN THE FIRST PLACE.”
Sophie Cunningham COOKED the WNBA commissioner 🤣 pic.twitter.com/uSZCdZMkmK
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) September 30, 2025
Cunningham’s point was clear: Engelbert is only known because of what Clark brings to the league, and the commissioner should never be the focus in the first place.
What Sparked Sophie Cunningham’s Response?
This all started with Collier’s September 2025 exit interview. She talked about a private conversation with Engelbert, where she asked about rookie pay for players who bring in huge revenue.
“I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that Caitlin, Angel (Reese) and Paige (Bueckers), who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years,” Collier said. “Her response was ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t be making anything.'”
Napheesa Collier’s full statement today, where she challenged Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA with directness and stunning detail we rarely hear from active players. Worth listening to every word. pic.twitter.com/IRTvTc52EA
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) September 30, 2025
Collier called this “the worst leadership in the world” and said the league needs real accountability. Clark didn’t comment on Engelbert’s remarks, but Cunningham had no problem speaking up for her teammate.
The comment made people angry because Clark’s rookie season brought more attention and money to the WNBA than ever before. Her impact went way past just her own endorsement deals.
In 2024, 24 WNBA games broke one million viewers, and Clark played in 21 of them. ESPN saw a 170% increase in WNBA viewership, jumping from 454,000 average viewers in 2023 to over 1.2 million in 2024. The Fever’s attendance went from 4,067 per game in 2023 to over 17,000 in 2024, making them the first WNBA team ever to draw more than 300,000 fans in a season.
Those numbers helped the WNBA land a new over $2 billion media rights deal. Clark’s rookie year changed the league’s entire financial picture, which makes Engelbert’s “be grateful” comment look even worse.
Cunningham’s public callout shows how frustrated players are with league leadership. As the WNBA heads into contract talks, this controversy puts even more pressure on Engelbert’s relationship with the players.
