Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier is not expected to meet with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert next week, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews.
Engelbert and Collier had exchanged text messages after Collier spoke critically of the commissioner during her exit interview with reporters on Tuesday.
Engelbert held a press conference on Friday, before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals in Las Vegas, and mentioned that she would be meeting Collier during the upcoming week.
Engelbert’s public comments in response to Collier’s criticism have “pushed the relationship beyond repair,” according to ESPN.
On Tuesday, Collier detailed some of what was said during private conversations held with the commissioner, but Engelbert denied parts of what Collier claimed, including comments regarding Caitlin Clark and that the players ‘should be on their knees’ thanking the commissioner for what’s been done for them as the league continued to grow.
‘There is a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media and all of this reporting,’ Engelbert said on Friday. ‘I highly respect the players. There is a lot of emotion and passion going on right now between collective bargaining. … I am obviously disheartened.’