Adam Silver Emphasizes Need for Unifying Leadership in Upcoming WNBA Commissioner Search

NEW YORK — The hunt for the WNBA’s next commissioner has unofficially begun.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and his team have not yet started interviewing candidates, but inquiries about the position have surged since Cathy Engelbert announced her retirement earlier this month.

“I can gauge from the inquiries I’m receiving how much more appealing this role will be in 2027 compared to 2019,” Silver said in an interview with The Athletic on Tuesday.

The formal hiring process will commence once the league selects a search firm — a step currently underway. Given the NBA’s controlling ownership stake in the WNBA, Silver will make the final decision in consultation with the WNBA Board of Governors. He stressed that finding a leader capable of guiding the league into a new era is crucial.

“At this juncture, some tension around collective bargaining was expected,” he noted. “Now that we have secured a long‑term agreement, we need a leader who can bring together the players and ownership. I see that as an opportunity.”

Silver appointed Engelbert, the former CEO of Deloitte, as the WNBA’s inaugural commissioner in 2019 — her predecessors had held the title of president. Her contract runs through the end of this calendar year, and she will not remain in 2027 to assist with a leadership transition, according to an anonymous source familiar with the agreement.

Engelbert’s seven‑year tenure has been characterized by rapid growth and financial success. She helped launch an expansion phase that will see the WNBA reach 18 teams by 2030 and she oversaw two transformative collective‑bargaining agreements. However, she faced considerable criticism, with many players, owners and executives citing weak relationship‑building as a key shortcoming.

Off‑court matters have dominated the conversation this season, from online harassment of players to debates over the hypothetical inclusion of transgender athletes. Critics also fault the league’s largely reactive stance on such issues.

Silver described Engelbert’s role as “more than symbolic,” yet WNBA insiders have questioned the extent of her independent authority.

Under Engelbert, the WNBA‑dedicated staff expanded from about 12 employees in 2019 to close to 100, according to a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Silver also noted that the next commissioner, similar to Engelbert, will not enjoy complete autonomy.

“Having worked with the WNBA for three decades, I believe integrated operations bring substantial benefits,” Silver said. “Nevertheless, certain facets of the league are better managed independently.”

Silver said that game‑related matters — including CBA negotiations, potential rule changes and player concerns — should fall under the “direct control of the WNBA commissioner,” while he added, “I oversee the broader organization.”

Silver suggested that the WNBA might operate more independently from the NBA in the future, but he emphasized that collaboration between the two leagues ultimately serves the WNBA’s best interests.

“I might say this defensively, but I don’t believe the integrated model has hindered the WNBA’s operations,” he remarked.

Source link