“My answer missed the mark and I’m sorry. I regret that I didn’t express, in a clear and definitive way.” Just a couple of weeks ago, the WNBA president faced intense scrutiny from league players following her comments about the hot rookie rivalry. Recognizing the impact of her words, it seems Cathy Engelbert has taken that experience to heart. This time around, she again had a bold perspective on the league’s star rookie Caitlin Clark, but it was followed by a thoughtful explanation.
In a recent interview with CBS News journalist Jon Wertheim, WNBA President Cathy Engelbert shared her thoughts on the current state of the league and what she has taken away from it. However, when the conversation shifted to Caitlin Clark, Engelbert didn’t focus solely on the Fever’s standout rookie. Instead, she made a point to mention other rookies as well. This prompted Wertheim to follow up, asking Engelbert why she consistently mentions other rookies when discussing Clark’s impact.
However, Engelbert didn’t hesitate as she offered a quick yet sensible explanation. “No league’s ever about one player. That player could get hurt or whatever. So I think it’s just to give recognition that in sports, people watch for compelling content and rivalries. And you can’t do that alone as one person,” stated the WNBA president. While her point is logical, it’s also a bold stance considering the immense following Caitlin Clark has amassed and her undeniable impact on the league’s viewership and ticket sales.
Nevertheless, before addressing the follow-up question, she did acknowledge the talent of the Fever rookie in her initial comments, but made sure to conclude her statement revealing her opinion on the impressive skills of other rookies.
Cathy Engelbert chose to give credits to whole rookie class and not just Caitlin Clark
“She’s (Clark) clearly an unbelievable player, came in with an unbelievable following, has brought a lot of new fans to the league. If you look at our historic season around– our attendance, our viewership, Caitlin, Angel too, Angel Reese, Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink. This class of rookies, we will be talking about them a generation from now,” told Engelbert in the interview.
Engelbert’s latest response comes just weeks after she found herself in hot water over her comments on the Clark and Reese rivalry. Those remarks stirred frustration among players, even prompting a statement from the WNBPA. When asked about the growing fan hostility surrounding the rivalry, Engelbert appeared to side with the fans, offering a defense of their passion despite the heated tensions.
The president said on CNBC Monday, “There’s no more apathy. Everybody cares. It is a little of that Bird-Magic moment if you recall from 1979, when those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry… And so we have that moment with these two. But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another.”
Though her previous response didn’t sit well with the players, with the union criticizing her approach to addressing the issue, Engelbert seems to have shifted gears in her latest comments, showing full support for the players. Only time will tell if her efforts to balance support and acknowledgment will resonate positively or spark more controversy.
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