WNBA players, WNBPA say Cathy Engelbert’s comments on Clark-Reese rivalry were a ‘fumble’

Several WNBA players and WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson criticized WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Tuesday for Engelbert’s comments earlier this week about toxicity created by the perceived rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

The backlash came after Engelbert was asked explicitly during an appearance on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” on Monday how the WNBA tries to “stay ahead of” or act when sentiments about Clark and Reese involve some “very uncharitable things about the other,” and specifically about comments online that “have taken a darker turn, a more menacing turn, where race has been introduced into the conversation, where sexuality is sometimes introduced into the conversation.”

“The one thing that’s great about the league right now, we do sit at this intersection of culture and sports and fashion and music,” Engelbert replied. “Like, the WNBA players are really looked at now as kind of cultural icons. And when you have that, you have a lot of attention on you. … It is a little bit of that Bird-Magic moment if you recall, from 1979. When those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry, one White, one Black. And so we have that moment with these two.

“But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another.”

WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert on the toxicity that’s spawned from the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese rivalry. Seems to me the WNBA media who keeps chastising the fans, is running counter to what the commissioner wants. Let me know what you think. #WNBA #feverrising

Full… pic.twitter.com/N67HN0n6Vn

— Ken Swift (@kenswift) September 9, 2024

Jackson wrote in a response to Engelbert’s comments the commissioner erred in not providing a more definitive response “to the very clear question regarding the racism, misogyny and harassment experienced by the players.”

Jackson said that there was “absolutely no place in sport — or in life — for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments and misogynistic attacks” players receive on social media. “This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities feeling a business model,” Jackson added in the WNBPA’s statement Tuesday. “This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked.”

When discussing Clark and Reese’s fan bases, Jackson said that “fandom should lift up the game, not tear down the very people who bring it to life.”

On Tuesday evening, Engelbert clarified her comments on CNBC in a post on X: “To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.”

Jackson’s statement Tuesday was the latest comment from key WNBA figures about Engelbert’s remarks.

Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington shared a GIF on X expressing her displeasure and called Engelbert’s comments “kind of a fumble” when speaking to reporters before the Sun’s game Tuesday.

“There was a silver platter to just address it,” Carrington said. “Obviously you can’t control what people are gonna say, what people are gonna do, what people are gonna tweet out. You can’t control social media. But that has nothing to do with what you can do and using your voice and your platform to try to put a stop to it.

“Or to just say, this is not the type of behavior that we endorse as the league. And as the commissioner who has what, probably 90 percent Black people or people who identify as Black in some way shape or form in the league, I think it was kind of eye-opening because the things that we have all experienced this season have been pretty sickening.”

https://t.co/ypasWLy9N8 pic.twitter.com/8j4CVKpnKy

— dιjonaι carrιngтon♛ (@DijonaiVictoria) September 10, 2024

Las Vegas Aces center Queen Egbo wrote on X: “It’s like….. no way she said that?¿…”

Other members of the Aces also appeared to publicize their disappointment on social media.

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— Sydney Colson (@SydJColson) September 10, 2024

Sweet. Baby. Jesus. pic.twitter.com/2RKjsmpojP

— Alysha Clark (@Alysha_Clark) September 10, 2024

“We want our sport to be inclusive for race, for gender, and really be a place where people can be themselves,” New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart said. “So we wish, obviously, Cathy would have used her platform in a different way and have made that a little bit better, just telling the fans enough is enough.”

Reese’s teammate, Chicago Sky forward Brianna Turner, wrote on X: “I stand against all forms of discrimination, hatred, and bias, especially in reference to sports. The intersection of racism and sports should always be rejected. No platform is too big or too small to stand for the right thing. No excuses.”

The WNBA has seen a surge in interest this season, with Clark and Reese participating in the most-watched game in over 20 years. Conversations around the two rookies have extended well beyond their on-court production this season. Politicians, athletes, media personalities and even editorial boards have weighed in on debates about either one, or both, of the first-year players.

Last week, Reese voiced that she doesn’t believe Clark has any hatred toward her, nor does she have hatred for the Fever star. She did, however, acknowledge feeling a lack of respect by some Clark supporters. “Sometimes it’s very disrespectful. I think there’s a lot of racism when it comes to it,” Reese said on her podcast. “And I don’t believe she stands on any of that.”

Earlier this season, Clark denounced her name being used to push agendas of racism and misogyny, calling it “disappointing” and “unacceptable.”

“Everybody in our world deserves the same amount of respect,” Clark said in June. “The women in our league deserve the same amount of respect, so people should not be using my name to push those agendas.

“This league is a league I grew up admiring and wanting to be a part of. Some of the women in this league were my biggest idols and role models growing up and helped me want to achieve this moment right here that I get to play in every single night so just treating every single woman in this league with the same amount of respect is a basic human thing that everybody should do. Treat them how you would want to be treated. I think it’s very simple.”

Both Clark and Reese have had historic rookie seasons. Clark entered the league as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She is averaging a rookie-best 19.2 points per game this season, and she ranks third in scoring (24.7) and first in assists (9.3) among all players since the All-Star break. Reese, the seventh pick, led the league in rebounds per game (13.1) before suffering a wrist injury on Friday that will cause her to miss the rest of the season.

The Athletic‘s Sabreena Merchant contributed to this story.

(Photo: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)