Cathy Engelbert stepped onto the court at Barclays Center on Tuesday night to present a trophy at a WNBA event. The crowd immediately expressed their feelings toward her, highlighting the deep connection fans have with the WNBA as a league.
The WNBA commissioner was met with sustained boos as soon as she took the microphone. The crowd continued booing until she left the stage. Earlier, New York defeated the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 93-85. This victory secured their second Commissioner’s Cup title since the event began in 2021.
Engelbert attempted to deliver her remarks, but her voice was largely inaudible over the crowd. This often happens in the WNBA when emotions run high.
The crowd’s reaction was unrelated to the game. Earlier that day, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas criticized Cathy Engelbert for remaining silent while Thomas faced death threats and online abuse. These threats followed Thomas’s one-game suspension for making contact with Caitlin Clark’s throat during a June 24 win over Indiana. This incident occurred in regular WNBA action.
The play was not flagged in real time. However, officials retroactively upgraded it to a Flagrant 2 foul. The league fined Thomas $1,000 in addition to the suspension. Negative receptions for Cathy Engelbert have become a concern for the league, especially in the context of the WNBA’s ongoing relationship with its audience. On two major occasions in the past year, fans have used trophy presentations to express dissatisfaction with her leadership.
Breanna Stewart earned Finals MVP honors with 11 rebounds, while Sabrina Ionescu scored a season-high 26 points. However, these achievements were overshadowed by the crowd’s reaction to Engelbert. Reports indicated that Engelbert had privately texted Thomas before the event and instructed WNBA security to coordinate with the Mercury. These actions were not mentioned during her public remarks.
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Eric Butler is a Contributor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on Instagram and X via @ReportandOpine. Coverage and commentary on WNBA stories continue to be available on these platforms.
