Following the elimination of her team, the Minnesota Lynx, in Game 4 of their semifinal against the Phoenix Mercury, WNBA star Napheesa Collier gave an unusual press conference in which she opened up against the league’s officiating standards.
Collier couldn’t participate in the game, as she suffered an ankle injury in Game 3, when she was pushed to the ground by the Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas in a sequence that didn’t earn her opponent a foul. This caused the indignation of her coach, Cheryl Reeve, who confronted officials in the court and had to be restrained.
Napheesa Collier’s full statement today, where she challenged Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA with directness and stunning detail we rarely hear from active players. Worth listening to every word. pic.twitter.com/IRTvTc52EA
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) September 30, 2025
She was ejected from the game and went on an irate two-minute-long complaint against league officiating standards in the post-game press conference. Reeve was fined $15,000 and was suspended for Game 4. This led to Collier’s decision to hold a press conference and speak out against the league.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert reacted almost immediately, releasing a press release of her own, trying to appease Collier. The statement by Englebert reads more like a corporate, bland attempt to seem politically correct than like a true desire to improve her relationship with players. While Englebert did express her respect for Collier, she also chastised her for the press conference.
More importantly, she didn’t propose any way forward to repair the relationship:
“I have the utmost respect for Napheesa Collier and for all the players in the WNBA,” she said in the statement. “Together we have all worked tirelessly to transform this league. My focus remains on ensuring a bright future for the players and the WNBA, including collaborating on how we continue to elevate the game. I am disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership, but even when our perspectives differ, my commitment to the players and to this work will not waver.”
What did Napheesa Collier say?
Napheesa Collier’s complaint on Monday was more structured than her coach’s, and possibly more scathing for the WNBA, as she’s the vice president of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association. Here’s the excerpts from her statement:
“But it’s clear there’s no intention of accepting there’s a problem,” Collier said of the league’s officiating, in particular. “The league has made it clear, it isn’t about innovation. It isn’t about collaboration. It’s about control and power.
“Our leadership’s ability to being held accountable is to suppress everyone’s voices by handing out fines. I’m not concerned about a fine. I’m concerned about the future of our sport.”
Napheesa Collier also directly criticized Cathy Englebert and the league’s approach to negotiating the collective bargaining agreement. She even said the WNBA had the “worst leadership in the world”.
Read more:
Paige Bueckers Names WNBA’s 2 Biggest Trash-Talkers: “If Somebody Is Talking, It Gets Me Going”
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
