Stephen A Smith PUTS Cathy Engelbert IN HER PLACE For Ignoring Caitlin Clark All Season

[@BasketballTopStories]

Do you agree with Stephen A's thoughts about WNBA leadership? Thanks for watching!

[@BigGurl1222]

No I don't agree and there are other players to promote.

[@peterpaulkaputsos5581]

Stephen A is spot on!

[@timfincher4978]

@@BasketballTopStories looks like the whole nation is calling for Englebert to be fired immediately if not before !

[@peterpaulkaputsos5581]

Cathy Englebert has to go! I've seen rec leagues more competently lead. The WNBA is not where it could be, because leadership from the top is not what it should be. Instead of WNBA players, refs, and owners going after Caitlin Clark they should be going after Cathy Englebert for being incompetent.

[@gale826]

@@BigGurl1222 Troll Much?

[@billsharich7466]

Englebert needs to be replaced. She too did nothing with the offensive reffing in her league. Such a failure. She is costing the league money.

[@devonlindsay3879]

She pretends assault is rivalry. She encouraged assaults on CC. She kept corrupt refs. Cathy commissioner must go. She is really effed up.

[@josephrodriguez4993]

They can’t even see that there is no competition between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. This is how ridiculous they are. They need to step down they’re not even playing the same position.

[@sharronjones1017]

Everyone sees this, that’s why Englebert has been silent!

[@Pugmomintexas]

I haven't always agreed with 9:15 Stephen A but he is 100% on the mark on this one. Caitlin's year reminds me of Larry Bird back in the day. But Larry's contribution was not dismissed. Englebert needs to go. Get someone willing to protect players with capable, honest refs and stop punishing Caitlin for being a phenom.

[@gale826]

Spot On

[@EddieWhaley-f2t]

It looked like Engelbert told the refs to let the players hammer on Clark

[@gaylecarrnone5362]

Agreed!!!

[@sharronjones1017]

She did!

[@GrantWebster-w7v]

I agree tell the refs to let everything go. Then tell the coaches to take her out if they get a chance.

[@MeneerHerculePoirot]

In a collective mindset that is in agreement the servants don't have to be told what to do. They know what their job is.

[@stevenross2464]

I agree, Englebert needs to GO! She did nothing for the W in 2024. She just sat on her butt and just watched like a deer in headlights!

[@DarrylPelletier-n5h]

Thank you I have been saying that all year you don't need someone that can't do the job in the first place.

[@rcud1]

Englebert is to afraid of hurting feelings of players.

[@nancy9891]

@@rcud1Cheryl Miller would make a great WNBA commissioner. Someone who knows the WNBA and would clean it up.

[@SherrylPurvis-ig9be]

I wanted to throw up when Englebert said the fans want to see a rivalry between teams and players. Seriously, how long has she been in this position?

[@nancy9891]

Clearly not a basketball fan who don’t want to watch violence against one another. How sad.

[@SherrylPurvis-ig9be]

@ maybe we should agree to disagree

[@JOHNNIGH-i2i]

Who does Commissioner Engelbert actually work for?? Who is her boss?? If it is the team owners, then they are to blame. Each year, this league loses money, and here is the chance to change that. It is Engelbert's fault that she has not been fires. She is truly worthless.

[@rcud1]

the NBA is the primary owner and they are to afraid of interfering and being called misogynist

[@shelley4295]

Cathy also did nothing about implementing suspensions and fines to clean up this league. Cathy and her board allowed refs to continue non call and fandom calls. Then the audacity to wear a NY dress to the finals which were even more controversial because of the refs-- dunny your team wine. Also yall pushed Aja as MVP EVEN PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SEASON. IMO WNBA and Swoopes convinced Nike to stall CC.

[@sharronjones1017]

@@shelley4295 ABSOLUTELY WELL SAID🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯💯💯💯💯💯

[@charlesdeangelo635]

She called C.C. on the phone to give her the reward that's all you need to know

[@charlesdeangelo635]

Award

[@terrykyle2746]

That was so disrespectful for her to call her on the phone she needs to go

[@richardsomebody996]

She should have be fired for the way she handle rewarding Clark over the phone at a practice for Rookie of the Year!

[@AngieWolfK72]

That was disgusting!

[@gale826]

That was despicable behavior. She should have presented that award at halftime of a televised game. Was a great opportunity to promote the WNB.A. Thrown away by this incompetent Commish.

[@douglasknapke5233]

I agree they need a new commissioner for the WNBA

[@boosuedon]

I keep getting drawn back to a point that comedian Bill Burr made in one of his shows specifically about the WNBA and why it has been failing since its inception. "Its womens fault that the WNBA is failing, not men! Women would rather watch shows where women are tearing each other apart like "Real Housewives", "The Bachelor" and "The Kardashians" instead of watching a bunch of grown women working TOGETHER to accomplish a goal. That's what women are watching, that's where all of the money follows!" I believe that Bill is on to something there because I see that mind set in my own home! Many women are just very snarky, judgmental and love that kind of drama! The TV ratings bear this out! The take away here is that the WNBA needs a MAN to helm this ship because women have a natural propensity to steer boats into a reef! That comes across as misogynistic, but it is true that men think differently than women do. Men are more 'goal oriented' while women are driven more by social issues and easily become distracted. Cathy Engelbert can't see the forest for all of the trees that are in her way!

[@mmm-mt6jk]

cathy Englebert does not understand that entertainment through basketball comes from fair competition. She does not make sure the game is fairly refereed and actually looks like she wants Caitlin to get hammered to keep veteran players happy. She should be replaced by someone who understands basketball. On another subject, selling the league to Wall Street will not succeed because the business model of pro basketball is not sustainable. The league gross revenue breaks down as follows: 16% of gross revenue goes to investors, 42% goes to NBA team owners in their respective markets and 42% goes to players. In short team owners will never make money and the players won't get paid.

[@bjarias]

... Clark threw many people off being as great as she is sooooo-fast... and lots of uninspired-minds reacted poorly, or not at all... Englebert's flaws have been dramatically exposed, and she's not got the talent to improve much better ... if this league wants being what it thinks it does... it needs much better leadership driving it

[@sarawagner8286]

That ROTY phone call- just made me sick... what's with this league

[@sheilamccarthy9667]

Engleburt sucks so bad. She has no idea what needs to be done to make the league grow the way these ladies deserve. And the officiating is the worst anywhere in the world.

[@paulcaron-wm4tk]

In my opinion, the origin of this whole WNBA controversy over CC's dominance (or not) is rooted in the attitude of victimhood stemming from the fact that it started out with a majority of black players who needed to stick together and avoid letting individual standouts distract from their primary mission of legitimizing their league as a whole within the context of having to overcome latent racial prejudice in society. This led to a bunker mentality around anything outside of this historical stance. To say it straight, this skinny white girl is an affront to their legitimation based on their own self definition as victims of racial oppression. The signal that it's time to pivot away from that stance falls on deaf ears. Unfortunately it falls to Caitlin to be the bigger person, and the fact that she is drives them crazy.

[@redrust3]

Indiana Fever. Replaced their entire coaching staff AND front office to rebuild around Caitlin, who generated 26 percent of the entire league revenue.

[@petercena9497]

Englebert is not used to success and acts like it. Same with Caitlin's pathetic agent.

[@jamesshih1220]

Why haven't Caitlin fire her agent?

[@timfincher4978]

Englebert has no damn idea , wth ! Kick her out NOW !

[@lucysalas2314]

Thank you Steven

[@stevezecola980]

Engelbert is to being a commissioner like Sides is to being a coach. The owners are costing themselves a lot of money given Engelbert's flawed vision and poor execution. Her days are numbered.

[@patlevy9966]

You can’t remove her fast enough! She is not a leader and is not fair to ALL players!

[@billthompson2740]

he is 1,000 percent right!!

[@distorteddogma]

The hell with Engelbert , what the owners doing? They don't mind loosing millions of dollars every year? Engelbert is dragging her feet in expanding the fan base of the league. There is no other explanation for constantly diluting Caitlin Clark draw. Everyone else could see it, what about Angel Reese? We have to mention her and pretend she can play too, just because she says so. Pampering bullies like A'ja Wilson assigning honors like MVP before the season has half way through and then pretending to vote. "Don't piss A"ja" heaven forbid. She is the best player, perhaps. We shall see if the referees and the coaching start playing fair this season. Perhaps not, if Caitlin, Kate, Kelsey and others are allowed to play their best and not crippled by politics. We shall see.

[@DaveLawniczak]

Personally, I don't see any major changes as long as Cathy is at the helm...

[@jerrybehrenbrinker7740]

I never imagined a league, any league would treat a superstar, of any race, as shoddily as wnba treated Caitlin last season. Simply deplorable!

[@scottjays360s.johnson2]

I had no respect for her after how she handled giving Clark her participation award for ROTY and the way that she should have had fined and suspended those involved in not doing anything about them. What exactly is her job at Wnba?

[@frankbelzunce1395]

What about Phil Cook, WNBA Chief Marketing Officer, appointed by Engelbert. “Phil Cook’s ability to tell powerful player stories, connect to young consumers and build culturally relevant brands makes him an ideal fit for the WNBA as we build on our brand identity and overall momentum for the league,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Phil Cook failed in promotion of Caitlin Clark's story, which has been recognized and celebrated by sporting organizations worldwide, is NON EXISTENT.

[@rexgehring]

"Cathy Engelbert [WON'T BE] IN HER PLACE" until she's canned for incomitance

[@sharronjones1017]

Englebert should be investigated, charged for her crimes & locked up! Too late to just let her walk away after stealing so much money from these athletes!

[@Kizira]

I'm sorry I do not give a flip about Reece if i never see her play or try to play again I will be perfectly fine, nor do i give a flip about any made up rivalry. Engelbert and the rest of the WNBA just showed their bias against a white straight player.

[@csincos989]

Engelbert is spineless. I get the feeling that she doesn't/didn't want to accept and confront the backlash if she chose to elevate CC. 👎

[@jjsyphor8288]

Wemby, zion, Luka all got promoted heavily by the league when they saw the hype behind them and the number of fans they seemed to have influence over. Ant and SGA had zero hype and whet under the radar for a few years, then they suddenly drew the attention of fans and made noise in their market, so the league jumped on them and promoted the hell out of them. Bronny with all the nepotism bs and bad playing, got promoted as soon as he played, he may not be a good player by leagues standard but he's affecting sales in a good way and so the league will give him a boost too. The WNBA gets a draft class of players with a noticable following ESPECIALLY Caitlin and the league does nothing but bring them down...... women hate women success

[@karld001]

The WNBA had better improve thier product, the only reason I came back was Caitlin Clark.

[@jamesshih1220]

Replace her with Nancy Lieberman or Cheryl Miller. These ladies are hall of fame players who know basketball.

[@ck7cu]

Cathy tries to appease everybody therefore nobody is happy in the end…. Just a bad situation all around … some people just shouldn’t have these jobs… too much responsibility 😅🤣🤣🤣

[@annamazzuchelli9404]

While I stopped watching ESPN years ago, I love Smith's yelling. He uses his bully pulpit for good. The WNBA, NIKE and others are tied up in their woke underwear. They're afraid to anger the rabble rousers instead of studying the actual demographics of their customer base. Who's actually paying money for tickets and streaming? WNBA management is extremely amateurish. They'd never make it at a Fortune company. They are incompetent and lazy. If the refs don't pick up this year, I'm not paying for streaming. I'll catch games as I can.

[@bobbobby5141]

Are you surprised? There first profitable money they made over 20 years was used to pay everyone charter flights not going to the athletes pay increase or even trying to pay off debt they owe to the nba 😂 sugar daddy treatment always give never return a single penny

[@John-gu4zn]

Stephen Smith is so absolutely spot on correct. The Leadership of the WNBA are at best, Fair Weather leaders however, in the rough seas of foul weather, that has been created and taken over the WNBA with Swoops, Engelbert and many others, this leadership is totally incompetent to lead, taking advantage of the rare opportunities that Caitlin Clark has provided to this League. If this was happening in the NBA, those in power and authority at the top would be long gone. If what happened in the 2024 season with racist commentaries, criticisms of Caitlin Clark, particularly by old retired Hall of Fame players and others, floor refs selectively ignoring violations through the 2025 season, The WNBA will become History as, the new fans will stay home as I and others did before Caitlin arrived bringing Excitement and Class back to this League.

[@frankbelzunce1395]

WNBA should not have appointed Engelbert. The Wall Street Journal reported in late June that Deloitte’s board decided not to renominate Engelbert for another term as CEO, a move that stunned Deloitte partners. Her experiences at Deloittes do not fit a Commissioner of a sporting organisation. Engelbert was a chairman of Audit at Deloittes prior becoming CEO and prior to that has nothing that can enhance WNBA and proof has been manifested in last 12 mths with Caitlin Clark's Effect.

[@gale826]

At Deloitte, her main function and first priority was DEI. She should never have been hired as Commish of the WNBA. She is utterly unqualified. On top of that she has stated that her main focus as commish is DEI!!!!! Why was she hired and why is she still there. NOW is the WNBA's opportunity to become profitable and Engelbert sabotages every opportunity.

[@amyweber2574]

Exactly. She’s incompetent and doesn’t do her job but bias to the no. 1 money making in the league. Why is she still there. A loti of us fans are not happy the way she handle her job. Her performance is very poor And Doesn’t have the ball!😀 Hate this lady.