WNBA fans can breathe easy. The league’s players will not be heading into a lockout, and the upcoming season is set to go ahead as planned.
But after the long and bitter standoff between the WNBA and the WNBA Players Association, plenty of people were left wondering what this saga meant for Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s future. Now, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has weighed in.
Adam Silver Discusses Cathy Engelbert’s Future as WNBA Commissioner
In a recent interview, Silver was asked directly whether he expects Engelbert to remain as WNBA commissioner beyond 2026. He did not give a firm yes or no.
“We haven’t had those discussions yet with the WNBA board,” Silver said, per The Athletic.
However, he praised her work, saying she has done a great job and that he hopes she stays.
“I would always say Cathy’s done a fantastic job since she’s come to the WNBA,” Silver added. “Obviously, you can see just in the results, but I haven’t had those discussions recently with Cathy, even in terms of her future plans and how long she wants to do this.
“She had a storied career before she came to the WNBA, with Deloitte, but I want to say the results speak for themselves.”
The biggest item on Engelbert’s résumé right now is getting the new collective bargaining agreement done. On the financial side, the salary cap for the 2026 season is expected to reach around $7 million, according to the Associated Press. Average player salaries could surpass $585,000, and minimum salaries may land near $300,000.
For a league long criticized for not paying its players enough, these are real numbers that signal a shift. The WNBA is heading into its 30th season, and the financial picture looks meaningfully different from just a couple of years ago.
There are also new rules in place that give younger players a faster path to bigger paychecks. As ESPN explained, the updated CBA changes how players on rookie contracts can move up the pay scale.
A player who has already earned All-WNBA recognition does not have to wait as long to reach maximum salary territory. They can get there in their fourth year. Moreover, if a player has won MVP honors, they may qualify for the highest pay tier even earlier.
The idea is simple: If a player is already performing at an elite level, her contract should reflect that sooner rather than later.
Engelbert became the WNBA’s first commissioner in 2019. But during her time in the role, labor relations between the league and its players hit a rough patch.
The players’ union opted out of the existing CBA in October 2024, and what followed was roughly 17 months of tension before a new agreement was finally reached.
Observers noted that the prolonged standoff was not something to overlook, and several made that clear on social media. As a result, while Silver expressed praise, others did not share the same sentiment.
