Outgoing WNBA commissioner warns successor needs thick skin

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who plans to retire at the end of 2026, says a search firm is vetting candidates to succeed her, and that there is strong interest in the job. She advised her successor to have “thick skin,” confidence in the league’s growth and the ability to build relationships with players, agents, owners and other stakeholders. Engelbert’s tenure has included major expansion, a multibillion-dollar media-rights deal and a new collective bargaining agreement that created the league’s first million-dollar player salaries. The league’s rapid growth has also brought scrutiny, including labor tensions, officiating and transgender-athlete debates, and online abuse directed at players; Engelbert urged continued support for players facing hate and vitriol.