Caitlin Clark’s sophomore campaign in the WNBA was supposed to be the season where she solidified herself as one of the league’s brightest young stars. Instead, it turned into a nightmare filled with injuries.
After an impressive rookie year that raised expectations, Clark managed to suit up for only 13 games in the 2025 season. The Indiana Fever’s championship dreams were cut short, and Clark was forced to watch most of the year from the sidelines.
But even as she struggled to stay on the floor, Clark’s name remained in the headlines. Moreover her name is making waves again after a controversial remark from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert that has sparked league-wide debate.
WNBA Commissioner’s Controversial Stance Regarding Caitlin Clark
In the Minnesota Lynx’s exit interview session, Napheesa Collier voiced what many players have been thinking but rarely say out loud. It was frustration with the state of WNBA officiating and the pay disparity faced by its biggest stars.
Collier revealed that she had spoken directly with Commissioner Engelbert about the issue, raising Clark as a prime example. According to Collier, she pointed out how Clark’s presence has massively boosted the league’s visibility and popularity, yet players like her are still paid relatively little compared to their male counterparts.
“I also asked Cathy how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin, Angel, and Paige, who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years,” said Collier during the exit interview.
But what stunned many was the response Collier said Engelbert gave her. Instead of acknowledging the concern, the commissioner reportedly replied that players like Clark “should be grateful” to the WNBA for providing them a platform.
“Her response was, ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.’ And in that same conversation, she told me, ‘Players should be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars, for the media rights deal that I got them.’ That’s the mentality driving our league from the top,” added Collier during the interview.
That remark quickly drew sharp backlash from coaches, players, and media personalities alike.
WNBA Analyst Didn’t Shy Away From Criticizing the WNBA Commissioner
One of the most prominent voices to challenge Engelbert’s perspective was ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt. Van Pelt suggested that while the commissioner believed Clark should be grateful to the WNBA, the reality is quite the opposite.
It’s the WNBA that should be grateful to Clark. After all, Clark brought her massive college popularity directly into the professional league, dramatically increasing the WNBA’s ratings and visibility.
“Did you miss the Iowa years? Clark is the Tiger Woods tide that lifts all boats. And we know; this show is proof. The highest rating that we have ever had followed one of her games at Iowa.
“The WNBA has benefitted from her presence more than the other way around, even though this year for Caitlin Clark was essentially lost to injury,” said Van Pelt during an ESPN segment.
Scott Van Pelt went off on Cathy Engelbert for her Caitlin Clark comments
“Did you miss the Iowa years? Clark is the Tiger Woods tide that lifts all boats… The highest rating that we have ever had followed one of her games at Iowa”
(h/t @Sudharsan_ak)pic.twitter.com/dv8GXlaBq9
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 2, 2025
The numbers don’t lie. During her Iowa days, Clark was already a household name. Take for instance, the Elite Eight game against LSU in 2024, which Iowa won 94-87 thanks to Clark’s staggering 41-point performance. That game averaged 12.3 million viewers on ESPN and peaked at an incredible 16 million viewers, shattering the previous all-time record set in 2023.
The numbers since her WNBA arrival back Van Pelt’s point. Despite Clark missing 31 games this season due to leg issues, a quad strain, and a recurring groin problem, the WNBA still saw growth.
ESPN networks reported that across 25 regular-season WNBA games, the average viewership in 2025 was 1.3 million, which is a six percent increase from last season’s record-setting year. Rookie sensation Paige Bueckers and other emerging stars probably bolstered this increase.
For Commissioner Engelbert to suggest that players like Clark should simply be grateful makes no sense given these metrics.
Meanwhile, Clark’s Fever fell short in their playoff run, as they lost to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 on Sept. 30. Still, there was optimism after the loss. Clark revealed she expects to be back on track by the end of October. This revelation has sparked hope that next season could finally be the one she was meant to have.
“My goal was the end of October. To kind of be out there and trying to get back to playing 5-on-5. I think that’s a very reasonable thing for me and you know I’ve been grinding as hard as I possibly can,” said Clark during Fever’s exit interview as per Scott Agness.
As the controversy swirls, one thing is clear — Clark isn’t just a player who should be “grateful” for her platform. She is the reason millions more are tuning in to women’s basketball, and the league’s future may depend on recognizing that reality.
