A’ja Wilson has been arguably the best player in the WNBA this decade so far. With three WNBA titles, four regular-season MVPs, three DPOYs, eight All-Star appearances, and more, Wilson has dominated the league over the last few years.
Despite her success, during the All-Star presser, A’ja Wilson said that the only relationship she has with commissioner Cathy Engelbert is when she hands her awards. Analyst Seth Davis was shocked by her admission.
“This is truly unreal. How does a commissioner not have a genuine connection with the league’s best player? That’s the easy stuff,” Davis wrote.
Because of A’ja Wilson’s dominant run, Engelbert has had plenty of opportunities to meet the 29-year-old. While the commissioner not having any relationship with arguably the best player in the league might be shocking for many, Wilson laughed it off during the press conference.
“My only relationship with Cathy is when she hands me awards, which is great; I love to see her,” she said. “But when it comes to leadership, I’m always big on bonds. I’m always big on connection on a deeper level, and I think that’s what we all try to look for when it comes to a leader.”
Even though Wilson would love to have great leadership in the highest office, the true leaders of the league, according to her, are the players. She believes that the league will continue to prosper and go in the right direction as long as players keep doing their jobs.
Engelbert has served as the commissioner of the WNBA since 2019. Under her leadership, the league has grown immensely in terms of popularity and has seen rapid commercial growth.
Cathy Engelbert Was Asked About Her Future in the WNBA
Engelbert was recently asked by a reporter if she expects to be the commissioner of the WNBA at the beginning of the 2027 season. She gave a lengthy response but didn’t address the question directly.
“Obviously, I am so blessed to be at the helm of this league during this incredible hypergrowth period. So blessed that these players are putting the product on the court they are every night, that they stand for the values that the W has long sought for,” she said.
“I will just continue to do my job, execute the strategy because it has been working. Make sure we listen to the players, communicate with the players. So absolutely just love this league and blessed to have had the career I had before and the career I have now.”
She went on to talk about the growth of the league, expansion plans, brand partnerships, and more but didn’t say if she’ll hold her office next year.
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