Breanna Stewart Denies Adam Silver's Stance on WNBA Commissioner Ordeal
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has seemingly felt the need to step in and help mitigate the growing rift between the WNBA's players and the league office, particularly with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
This stems from the controversy surrounding Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier's claims that Engelbert made several disparaging remarks to her earlier this year. The most notable of these was Engelbert allegedly saying, "I also asked [Engelbert] how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin [Clark], Angel [Reese], and Paige [Bueckers]... are making so little for their first four years. Her response was, 'Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything.'
"And in that same conversation, [Engelbert] told me, 'Players should be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars, for the media right deal that I got them.' That's the mentality driving our league from the top," Collier added.
In addressing everything Collier claimed Engelbert said (and the ensuing outcry from the basketball community), Silver was quoted in an October 7 article from Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic as saying, "Cathy Engelbert has presided over six years of some of the strongest growth we’ve not only seen in the WNBA but any sports league in history.
"But it’s become too personal and we’re going to have to work through those issues.”
Breanna Stewart Refutes Adam Silver's "Too Personal" Comments
New York Liberty superstar Breanna Stewart (who co-founded Unrivaled with Collier and, like Collier, is a Vice President in the WNBPA (the WNBA's players association)) refuted Silver's stance during her October 8 appearance on a LWTSummit @ TechFutures panel.
"My reaction to Phee's statement is, I agree with Phee. I stand 100% with Phee, and what she said," Stewart said, per an X post from @STEWIESAURA. "I don't know. I think it's hard to see that kind of interaction transpire, to hear about it, and then know you still have to have negotiations and continue to be cordial across the table."
She later added, "Our messaging right now is: It's not personal. It is business. Show us. Show us your money and we'll show [you ours], you know what I mean? Like, let's actually talk about it."
stewie talking about phee’s statement today pic.twitter.com/ov1tElloA0
— ً ً (@STEWIESAURA) October 8, 2025
It's interesting to hear Stewart directly refute Silver's sentiment about it being "too personal" between Engelbert and the players.
The bottom line is that any feelings, personal and business, shouldn't get in the way of a new CBA that benefits both sides.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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