WNBA Commissioner's Response to Caitlin Clark Injury Question Raises Eyebrows

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was asked about Caitlin Clark's injury impacting the league's momentum and delivered an interesting answer.

Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert talks to the media before the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It's hard to quantify just how much Caitlin Clark's only playing in 13 games during the WNBA regular season and her already being ruled out for the playoffs has (and will continue to) impact the league.

There's no doubt that general fan interest in women's basketball has diminished without Clark on the court, given that she's the sport's biggest star. TV ratings are also down, ticket prices have plummeted, and chatter online is more barren than it has ever been since No. 22 played in her final college season at the University of Iowa.

Alas, the league must trudge on. And there are still plenty of compelling storylines for true WNBA fans to follow as the postseason approaches.

Sep 7, 2025; Washington, Baltimore, MD, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) signs autographs for fans before a game between the Washington Mystics and the Indiana Fever at CFG Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert Addresses League-Wide Injuries

Caitlin Clark isn't the only star WNBA player who has missed time with injuries this season. In fact, the apparent league-wide increase in injuries has been one of the hottest topics in women's basketball for the past few months.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was asked about these injury issues (specifically how the league can keep momentum in the wake of Clark's injury) during her September 10 interview on In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williams.

"I've said this before: Injuries are one of the toughest things in sports. But the reality is... It's totally unfortunate that we've had high-profile injuries this year. Our data shows it's about the same injury rates as last year, but I know that doesn't make anyone feel any better," Engelbert said.

"They're incredible athletes on the court, and the game is really fast, and physical. I'm just so impressed with how they play this game and what they're putting on the court every night," she continued. "So it's an unfortunate part of the game. But we think we've built beyond one player, two players, or five players, or six players. Every team needs to have a roster where people can step up and show up."

Commissioner Cathy on the injury’s this season in the WNBA pic.twitter.com/zdlbmww4vh

— Krysta (@Krysta____) September 10, 2025

Engelbert added, "Sports has shown that role players help you win championships. And I think that Indiana making the playoffs... almost every team has had some significant injury this year. But they've all persevered."

It's interesting that Engelbert didn't address the aspect of Clark's injury directly, which is raising eyebrows from fans on social media. However, she did address the Fever, and Engelbert spinning what could be a negative question into somewhat a positive (at least PR-friendly) response is something fans have come to expect from her.