Natasha Cloud joins chorus of voices targeting Cathy Engelbert after Satou Sabally's public call-out: "Needs to extend the season"

New York Liberty point guard Natasha Cloud issued a direct and firm message to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Sunday. She joined Phoenix Mercury star Satou Sabally in publicly criticizing the league's expanded schedule for the 2025 season.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Liberty’s matchup against the Chicago Sky on Tuesday, Cloud didn’t hold back in expressing her frustration. The veteran guard called on Engelbert to extend the season’s duration, emphasizing the need for adequate rest and recovery time between games, rather than forcing players to compete nearly every other night.

"girl, Cathy needs to extend the season … if you want the best product on the floor, we need proper time to rest and recover," Cloud said, as quoted by Lucas Kaplan.

Cloud’s comments came just days after Satou Sabally’s blunt and unapologetic public statement. The Mercury star directly called out Commissioner Engelbert, urging the league to implement necessary changes to prioritize player health and well-being.

"Cathy (Engelbert) added a lot of games... We put our bodies on the line every single time. We had 9 games in 18 days. It’s not really responsible for a commissioner," Sabally said. "Treat professionals as professionals. But also the league being able to work together and players, and not just throw them out there."

For the first time in league history, the 2025 WNBA season will feature all 13 teams playing 44 regular season games. This marks an increase from last year, when the 12 teams each played 40 games during the regular season.

Natasha Cloud never shies away from making demands

While competing in the 3x3 Unrivaled earlier in the year, Natasha Cloud didn’t hold back in sharing what she believes the WNBA can learn from the upstart competition. On a night when Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was in attendance, the veteran point guard made a direct appeal, calling for increased player pay and urging the league to step up its commitment to supporting athletes.

"We want our money and we want it now. In my ten years in the W, we’ve grown so much, but still have room to grow… Just prioritize the players," Cloud said.

Meanwhile, Cloud joined the New York Liberty during the offseason and her addition has further strengthened the reigning champions, making them an even more formidable unit than last year. The Liberty remain undefeated through their first eight games of the season, with Cloud averaging 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game.