Breanna Stewart Calls Out WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert For Controversial Comments
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert set the women's basketball community ablaze for appearing to side-step a question about racist and sexualized undertones that the respective fanbases of rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese sometimes assume during a September 9 appearance on CNBC's 'Power Lunch' program.
Once social media caught wind of her comments, there was very loud and prominent outrage from fans and players alike.
Tuesday afternoon, the WNBPA (Women's National Basketball Players Association) Executive Director Terri Jackson released a statement on X condemning Engelbert for her comments.
A Statement from the Executive Director pic.twitter.com/CDRAgnwa5y
— WNBPA (@TheWNBPA) September 11, 2024
Multiple WNBA superstars are prominent members of the WNBPA's Executive Committee, including Storm forward Neka Ogwumike (President), Aces guard Kelsey Plum (First Vice President), Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (Vice President), and Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (Vice President).
Stewart — who won the 2023 WNBA MVP — also called Engelbert out during a postgame interview after her New York Liberty defeated the Dallas Wings on Tuesday.
"To be honest, I saw the interview today, and have been in talks with Terri at the WNBPA," Stewart said, per X user @GreydyDiaz. "I think that it's kind of disappointing to hear because the way that the fans have surged, especially behind Caitlin and Angel coming to this league, but also bringing, like, a race aspect, to a different level.
"And you know, there's no place for that in our sport. I think that's really what it is. We want our sport to be inclusive for race, for gender, and really a place where people can be themselves. So we wish, obviously, Cathy would have used her platform in a different way, and have made that a little bit better, kind of just telling the fans enough is enough," Stewart continued.
She concluded by saying, "Become a fan of our sport, and for the new ones, lock in on everybody. But don't be disrespectful, because as a league, we stick together, and there's no place for that."
Following the Liberty’s win tonight against Dallas, @MAVoepel asked @breannastewart about her thoughts on the dialogue around the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry and what tone she would like to see from the league.
— Greydy (@GreydyDiaz) September 11, 2024
Stewie’s response: pic.twitter.com/TAGJYacODo
Major props to Stewart for wording her response in such an articulate way.
While Engelbert mustered her own response on X Tuesday night, what she said likely won't be enough to get the heat off of her for a while.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.