Players, union say WNBA’s Engelbert dropped ball in interview

INDIANAPOLIS — WNBA players and their union spoke out Tuesday against recent comments commissioner Cathy Engelbert made that failed to condemn racist and vitriolic behavior from fans surrounding the Caitlin Clark- Angel Reese rivalry.

On Monday, Engelbert appeared on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” and was asked by anchor Tyler Mathisen about what he called the “darker … more menacing” tone taken by the fan bases on social media, one “where race has been introduced in the conversation, where sexuality is sometimes introduced into the conversation.”

“How do you try and stay ahead of that, try and tamp it down or act as a league when two of your most visible players are involved — not personally, it would seem, but their fan bases are involved — in saying some very uncharitable things about the other?” he asked.

Engelbert’s response focused on the role the Clark-Reese rivalry has had in helping grow women’s basketball.

“There’s no more apathy. Everybody cares,” she said. “It is a little of that [Larry] Bird-Magic [Johnson] moment if you recall from 1979, when those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry, one white, one Black. 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.”

Engelbert then acknowledged that social media didn’t exist when Bird and Magic played and added that she tells players, “If someone’s typing something and you wouldn’t ask their advice, ignore it.”

The commissioner concluded her response by mentioning how corporate partners are endorsing WNBA players now more than ever.

Women’s National Basketball Players Association executive director Terri Jackson released a statement Tuesday night rebuking Engelbert’s comments.

“Here is the answer that the Commissioner should have provided to the very clear question regarding the racism, misogyny, and harassment experienced by the Players,” the statement said. “There is absolutely no place in sport — or in life — for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments, and the misogynistic attacks our players are facing on social media.

“This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model. This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked. It demands immediate action, and frankly, should have been addressed long ago.”

Jackson’s statement went on to celebrate the spike in fandom stemming from Clark and Reese, and then added: “Fandom should lift up the game, not tear down the very people who bring it to life.”

Engelbert did take to social media late Tuesday night to clarify her initial remarks, writing: “To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.”

But players throughout the league earlier in the day expressed their disappointment in what the commissioner first said. 

“I just think it’s doing a disservice to the majority of this league in not talking about the part that it’s consumed and played by Black women,” Aces point guard Chelsea Gray told ESPN ahead of her team’s game against Clark and the Indiana Fever on Wednesday. “And to basically be like, ‘Yep, we push it under the carpet that racism is OK.’ So not being direct and handling that, I think she did a poor job of doing that.”

Added Aces forward Alysha Clark: “I think there was an opportunity for her to really be able to take hold of what’s been going on and let people know that regardless of the amount of dollars that are coming in, regardless of whatever, racism and misogyny and homophobia, they have no place in our league, and they have no place regardless of how popular our sport is.”

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart struck a similar tone after her team’s 105-91 victory over Dallas on Tuesday night. 

“I think that it’s kind of disappointing to hear,” said Stewart, who noted she was part of discussions the players had with the union about Engelbert’s comments. “The way that the fans have surged, and especially behind Caitlin and Angel coming to this league, but also bringing a race aspect to a different level — you know, there’s no place for that in our sport. We want our sport to be inclusive for race, gender, and really a place where people can be themselves.

“So we wished, obviously, Cathy would use her platform in a different way and have made that a little bit better. Kind of just telling the fans like, enough is enough. 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.”

The rivalry between Clark, who is white, and Reese, who is Black, dates to their days playing at Iowa and LSU, respectively. Both players — main competitors for this year’s WNBA Rookie of the Year award and teammates at the league’s All-Star Game in July — have downplayed any notion of animosity between them, oftentimes expressing support for one another instead. 

But that hasn’t stopped a portion of fans from leveling harassment or directing hateful — sometimes racist, misogynistic, anti-gay — comments toward players, a majority of whom are Black and some of whom are members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

“It’s taken a darker turn in terms of the types of comments and the vitriol that’s coming through to the players, and it’s not OK,” Alysha Clark said. “I wish [Engelbert] would have just said that — ‘It’s not OK.’

“At the end of the day, when we take these uniforms off, we’re human beings, and that doesn’t mean because we’re athletes, we are automatically just allowed to be subjected to those types of comments and hate. And so I just think there was a real missed opportunity to shut that down and just be like, ‘We don’t condone any of that.'”

Kelsey Plum, a former No. 1 pick like Caitlin Clark, called Engelbert’s comments “hard to hear,” adding: “It’s pretty clear, there’s a difference between rivalries and racism. Big difference.”

The Aces guard said she hasn’t had social media on her phone this year because “it’s been so nasty,” and credited both Clark and Reese for how they’ve handled being in the middle of such acrimonious dynamics.

Plum acknowledged that this was “maybe a missed opportunity [from Engelbert], but there’s going to be plenty more for her … and she’ll get an opportunity to clarify her comments.”

In the meantime, Jackson and players reiterated the values they believe the WNBA stands for — and what it stands against.

“Racism, and the toll it takes on everyone, is NEVER tolerable, let alone justifiable, in the name of economic growth,” Jackson said.

Added Alysha Clark: “That’s not the type of environment we want for our fans to come to. That’s not the type of environment we want these young girls and boys to step into and think is OK.”

Said Plum: “Our women are very grounded and centered and have a great perspective on life, in my opinion. I don’t think that represents what our league is about. If you tune into our league for 30 seconds, you’ll know that we are the most inclusive, loving, compassionate group. We don’t stand for any of that.”

ESPN’s Michael Voepel and Katie Barnes contributed to this report.