"Much to be wanted" - Nneka Ogwumike praises Napheesa Collier's leadership while demanding Cathy Engelbert to step up

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier made headlines earlier this month after she fired back at the WNBA's leadership. Collier's remarks earned the support of her peers, including Nneka Ogwumike, who praised her leadership on Thursday while demanding that Cathy Engelbert step up.

During her appearance on the Bird’s Eye View podcast, Ogwumike discussed Collier's public callout of the league and Engelbert while commending her "leadership".

"I think what Napheesa did was an exceptional display of that leadership of speaking truth to power in a way that she can be heard. You know, we've had players do it in the past," Ogwumike expressed. (Timestamp: 5:10 onwards).

Continuing to speak on Collier's comments and the WNBA leadership, the All-Star showed her support for the Lynx forward while asking Cathy Engelbert to step up.

"I agreed with what Napheesa said. I think everybody has a way of communicating, and I think she really spoke a lot of the sentiments that the players had been expressing," Ogwumike continued. (Timestamp: 5:30 onwards). "She took it upon herself to use her platform in a way that was monumental and is going to contribute to the transformational change that we're going to see. I think that there was still much to be wanted from Kathy's comments."

Ogwumike, who serves as the president of the WNBA Players Association, showed her support for Collier, reflecting their shared frustrations with the league. With CBA negotiations still underway, many players have been disappointed by the league’s current offers and some are even pushing for a lockout next season.

However, after Collier's public criticism of Engelbert and the WNBA, there is renewed hope for change as the league attempts to turn over a new leaf.

Nneka Ogwumike highlights a key factor that allows Napheesa Collier to be a spokesperson for the players

The WNBA keeps evolving each season, with expansion teams and bigger broadcast deals helping the league grow. But even with all the progress, players still feel there’s more work to be done. Many have started voicing their concerns publicly, as seen by Napheesa Collier’s comments during her exit interview.

Showcasing her support for Collier's comments, Nneka Ogwumike revealed how co-founding Unrivaled has allowed the Lynx forward to become the perfect spokesperson.

"It's amazing as well for someone like her (Collier) and for someone like Stewie to be in a position to kind of peek into what it's like to run a league. And I think that that's the advantage," Ogwumike expressed. (Timestamp: 6:40 onwards)

With the success of Unrivaled, Collier understands how to run an organization and can use this experience to procure better deals for the players.