WNBA's Cathy Engelbert Reveals the 'Major Issue' in CBA Talks, Eyes International Game in 2027

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert spoke with reporters ahead of Monday night's draft, touching on a number of topics, including the recent CBA agreement.

She said in particular she was surprised that the players placed a major emphasis on housing (all players will be provided housing through the 2028 season, and players making less than $500,000 per season will be provided through the 2030 campaign):

The WNBA and WNBPA agreed to a number of compromises after protracted negotiations, which included a $7 million salary cap for the 2026 season; maximum salaries increasing to $1.4 million in 2026 (and more than $2.4 million by 2032); rookie-scale contracts increasing; roster minimums of 12 players, with two additional developmental slots that don't count against the salary cap; codified air charter and improvements to team facilities and staffing; and other benefits.

As for Engelbert's future as commissioner, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was noncommittal when asked about her future beyond the 2026 season.

"We haven't had those discussions yet with the WNBA board," he told reporters in late March. "I would always say Cathy's done a fantastic job since she's come to the WNBA. Obviously you can see just in the results, but I haven't had those discussions recently with Cathy, even in terms of her future plans and how long she wants to do this. She had a storied career before she came to the WNBA, with Deloitte, but I want to say the results speak for themselves."