"This is all because of Caitlin Clark" - WNBA fans explode as Napheesa Collier abruptly pulls out of CBA meeting with Cathy Engelbert

WNBA fans explode as Napheesa Collier abruptly pulls out of CBA meeting with Cathy Engelbert. (Photo: GETTY)
WNBA fans explode as Napheesa Collier abruptly pulls out of CBA meeting with Cathy Engelbert. (Photo: GETTY)

Napheesa Collier has reportedly pulled out of a CBA meeting with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who responded to the Minnesota Lynx star's statements about her. WNBA fans reacted to the news on social media, with Caitlin Clark's name being mentioned.

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Collier shared with the media last week that Engelbert told her in a private conversation that Clark was lucky to be earning a lot of money because of the WNBA. Engelbert denied making the remarks in a press conference Friday, which prompted Collier to not attend an upcoming CBA meeting.

According to ESPN's Kendra Andrews and Ramona Shelburne, Collier was supposed to meet with Engelbert next week, but it has been canceled. One source told Andrews and Shelburne that the commissioner's comments Friday "pushed the relationship beyond repair," with less than a month to go before the current CBA expires.

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Napheesa Collier is one of the executive vice presidents of the WNBPA, with Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike serving as president. Collier's decision to cancel her meeting with Cathy Engelbert led to reactions from fans online. It was a mixed bag of worry, from a possible lockout to the Caitlin Clark effect.

Here are some of the comments.

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The WNBA could be headed for a lockout if the two sides can't reach a new CBA at the end of the month. Throughout this ordeal, the players have backed Napheesa Collier's comments. Fans have also been supportive of Collier, especially given some of the remarks made by Cathy Engelbert in interviews over the past year.


What did Cathy Engelbert say in response to Napheesa Collier?

What did Cathy Engelbert say in response to Napheesa Collier? (Photo: IMAGN)
What did Cathy Engelbert say in response to Napheesa Collier? (Photo: IMAGN)

Speaking to reporters Friday ahead of the WNBA Finals, Cathy Engelbert was asked about Napheesa Collier's revelation about their private conversations regarding Caitlin Clark. Engelbert denied what Collier said, calling Clark a "transformational player."

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The commissioner also acknowledged that some players are not happy with how she's doing her job. She's willing to hear all the issues and repair her relationship with the players.

"If the players in the W don't feel appreciated and valued by the league, then we have to do better, and I have to do better," Engelbert said, according to Yahoo! Sports. "We know how great these players are on and off the court, how much they mean to our league, our fans and our communities."

It will be interesting to see if the WNBA and WNBPA can agree on a new CBA before the deadline. Engelbert's future as commissioner has also been a hot topic following Collier's comments.

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Edited by Juan Paolo David
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