Caitlin Clark backs up Napheesa Collier’s comments about WNBA leadership

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00:00First of all, I have a lot of, I have great respect for Fee and I think she made a lot of

00:04very valid points. WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark speaking to the media for the first time since

00:09her season ended back in July agrees with Minnesota Lynx star Nafisa Collier. The league

00:16needs better leadership. Clark spoke during the Indiana Fever's exit interviews on Thursday.

00:23Their season ended Tuesday night with a game five loss to the Las Vegas Aces

00:27in the WNBA semifinals. Earlier that day, Collier used her exit interview press conference

00:34to call out WNBA leadership, specifically Commissioner Kathy Engelbert. Collier said

00:40the commissioner told her that Clark should be grateful she makes 16 million off the court

00:46because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything. Clark said she hadn't

00:51heard that story before Tuesday. What people need to understand, you know, we need great leadership

00:57in this time across all levels. This is straight up the most important moment in this league's history.

01:03Well, this league's been around for 25 plus years and this is a moment we have to capitalize on.

01:09So that's honestly what I would say. I think there's, you know, Fee said it all with what she said.

01:15Clark, the face of the WNBA since she was picked number one overall in 2024,

01:20was limited to 13 games this season because of various injuries. She hadn't played since July 15th

01:27when she suffered a right groin injury that ultimately ended her season. She averaged 16 and a half points,

01:348.8 assists and five rebounds in her 13 games and was asked what great leadership looks like.

01:40It is all about relationships and that's the truth and I know that's really hard to say in professional sports,

01:46but, you know, whether it's a relationship with your front office, whether it's relationship with

01:52commissioner of the league, whether it's relationship with your teammates, like that's the most important

01:56thing in leadership. Why would, why would my teammates want to listen to me if I didn't have

02:00a relationship with them? Like I think it's the most simple thing. Clark's teammate, Sophie Cunningham,

02:06never one to hold her tongue, was even more direct. She said she's not a fan of the commissioner

02:11and has been hearing sympathy from fans and even NBA players about how terrible they're being treated.

02:18She said everyone is frustrated. I am because I'm just tired of our league. They need to step up

02:24and be better. Our leadership from top to bottom needs to be held accountable. I think that there

02:31are a lot of people in the position of powers in the WNBA who they might be really great business

02:36people, but they don't know about basketball and that's got to change. Cunningham characterized the

02:41state of CBA negotiations with the league as very, very poor. The current collective bargaining

02:46agreement between the players union and the WNBA expires October 31st. For Straight Arrow News,

02:53I'm Chris Francis.