Caitlin Clark says Napheesa Collier made 'a lot of very valid points' about WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert

Caitlin Clark held her exit interview on Thursday following the conclusion of the Indiana Fever's incredible 2025 season, and said that Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier made "a lot of very valid points" in her excoriation of WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert earlier this week. 

Clark also called this "the biggest moment in WNBA history" and said that "everybody that's in a place of power" has a responsibility to "make sure this game is in a great place going forward with the CBA."

The Women's National Basketball Players Association and the WNBA have been locked in a tense labor battle for months over a new collective bargaining agreement. While most of those discussions have taken place behind closed doors, Collier delivered the strongest public comments yet from either side on Tuesday during her own exit interview. 

"I'm concerned about the future of our sport," Collier said during her lengthy opening statement. "At some point, everyone deserves to hear the truth from someone who I hope has earned the benefit of the doubt to fight for what is right and fair for our athletes and our fans. We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world. But right now we have the worst leadership in the world."

Lynx's Napheesa Collier blasts WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert: 'We have the worst leadership in the world'

Robby Kalland

Collier also relayed specific conversations she's had with Engelbert, including one about Clark. 

"I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin [Clark], 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 make anything.'"

In the initial aftermath of Collier's comments, Fever PR said that Clark had no comment. Engelbert did release a statement in which she said she was "disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversation and league leadership."

On Thursday, Clark, who was limited to 13 games this season due to an array of lower-body injuries and has not spoken to the media in months, had her chance to share her thoughts. 

"Well, I mean, first of all, I have great respect for Phee, and I think she made a lot of very valid points," Clark said about Collier's overall statement. "And, you know, I think what people need to understand, we need great leadership in this time across all levels. This is straight up the most important moment in this league's history. This league's been around for 25-plus years, and this is a moment we have to capitalize on. So that's honestly what I would say. I think Phee said it all with what she said and the points she made."

Clark said that she had not heard the story Collier shared about Engelbert allegedly saying Clark should be "grateful" for the platform the league gives her. Clark added that she has not heard from Engelbert since Collier made her statement. 

When Clark was asked specifically, "What is great leadership?" she did not give a direct answer about what should happen at the league level, but spoke generally about the importance of relationships:

"For me, it's all about relationships. That's the truth, and I know it's really hard to say in professional sports, but whether it's a relationship with your front office, whether it's a relationship with the commissioner of the league, whether it's a relationship with your teammates, that's the most important thing in leadership. Why would my teammates want to listen to me if I didn't have a relationship with them? I think it's the most simple thing. You have to be very intentional about seeking those out and understanding your teammates. Everybody in professional sports comes from different walks of life and you have to be able to know why they are who they are. I think that's super important and being intentional about that."

In her closing comments about the state of the league, Clark said she would do everything she can to make the WNBA a league that young girls are proud to join:

"We are in the biggest moment in WNBA history. There's no denying that. Everybody knows that. Everybody that's in a place of power has a true responsibility, and even myself, we have a true responsibility to make sure this game is in a great place going forward with the CBA, and caring for our players and building this league to make sure it's in a great spot for many years to come. You all know I grew up as a huge fan of this league and I'm gonna do everything I can to make this the league that a five year old, a 10 year old, a 15 year old, a girl in college is really proud of to come in to and to be able to put a WNBA uniform on, and that's what they dream on and hopefully they can accomplish that goal. Because that's exactly the way I was, and that's really at the end of the day I hope that's what my legacy can be is just how I impacted people to be able to maybe want to be in the WNBA, but to really just achieve whatever they want to achieve."

The current collective bargaining agreement will expire on Oct. 31. Assuming there is no new deal by then, there are multiple paths forward. The WNBPA and the league can agree to an extension of the current terms, which they did in 2019. That would allow league business and negotiations to continue. Or, there could be a lockout, at which point all league business would cease and players would be prevented from accessing team facilities.

Sophie Cunningham, who also spoke Thursday during the Fever's exit interviews, said the latter is looking more and more likely. 

"I do know that the league came back and really gave us nothing," Cunningham said. "And so there's a potential lockout because i promise you we are not gonna play until they give us what we deserve, and that's kinda where it's headed."