WNBA commissioner retires, outlasted by the controversy

Cathy Engelbert, who took the helm of the WNBA in 2019, announced she will retire at the end of the year (17, 20). Her tenure, as reported by multiple outlets, was defined not simply by games played but by controversy, with critics and defenders alike focused on her decisions off the court. The press emphasized her 'controversial tenure' (20), and in some corners, described her as 'beleaguered' (25), as if the office itself were a storm to be weathered and not a league to be led. Engelbert is survived by the WNBA, which will now seek new leadership to outlast the headlines. Preceded in the job by commissioners who faded quietly, she leaves a record of decisions debated longer than the box scores. In lieu of flowers, perhaps send a season ticket to the next commissioner — whoever they may be, the real test will be if the next news cycle is about the players, not the office.