Lynx’s Napheesa Collier blasts WNBA: “We have the worst leadership in the world”

By Aki Nace

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier turned her end-of-season interview on Tuesday into a passionate and bold critique of the WNBA leadership, and referees for losing control of games.

“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,” Collier said. 

In her four-minute statement, Collier described an interaction she had with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in February in which she asked how the league planned to address officiating issues.

According to Collier, Engelbert responded that “only the losers complain about the refs.”

Collier also asked about how young 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.”

“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,” Engelbert reportedly told Collier.  

“The real threat to our league isn’t money, it isn’t ratings, or even missed calls, or even physical play. It’s the lack of accountability from the league office,” Collier said. “Since I’ve been in the league, you’ve heard the constant concerns about officiating, and it has now reached levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity in which it operates.”

The Lynx were considered the best team in the league this season, but their dreams of a championship ended on Sunday with a loss in Game 4 of the semifinals to the Phoenix Mercury. 

Collier missed the game after she was injured late in the fourth quarter of Game 3. She was tangled with Alyssa Thomas, who stole the ball from her near the three-point line, and no foul was called on the play.

Collier, who was the runner-up for MVP this season, hurt her ankle and was helped to the locker room.

“Whether the league cares about the health of the players is one thing, but to also not care about the product we put on the floor is truly self sabotage,” Collier said. “Year after year, the only thing that remains consistent is a lack of accountability from our leaders.”

In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Engelbert said she is “disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership, but even when our perspectives differ, my commitment to the players and to this work will not waver.”

Collier’s teammates were aware she was going to issue the statement, “and we back everything Phee said,” Alanna Smith told reporters.

Head Coach Cheryl Reeve also said she supported Collier.

“Who Phee has become as a player and a person in this league is really important,” Reeve said. “Her voice is important.”

Reeve was suspended from Game 4 and fined $15,000 for her “conduct and comments” during Game 3, which included “aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing a game official on the court,” the league said in a statement. 

“The officiating crew that we had tonight — for the leadership to deem those three people semifinals playoff worthy — is (expletive) malpractice,” Reeve said in a postgame press conference.  

Assistant coaches Eric Thibault and Rebekkah Brunson were also fined. Collier said the fines ignore the real problems.

“I’m sure they will fine me. I mean, it seems like anything with free speech is fined now,” Collier said.

On Tuesday, Reeve said that “being a principled person, there are things that I care deeply about. And that’s my players’ health and safety. That’s the fairness to our organization. And when those things are challenged, if I’m not going to speak up, who is going to?”

Collier also shared more details on her ankle injury on Tuesday: she tore a couple ligaments and would not have been able to play in the finals.