Cathy Engelbert Updates Search for New WNBA Commissioner, Gives Timeline for Hire

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert revealed that the search for the league's new commissioner is an "ongoing process" on Thursday, according to Annie Costabile of The Athletic.

Engelbert was hopeful that a new commissioner would be hired by Dec. 31 after the league started meeting with candidates in person over the past two weeks, per Costabile.

On Sept. 4, Engelbert announced that she would be retiring from her position at the end of the year.

She initially took over the role in 2019.

While the exact candidates for the upcoming vacancy are unknown, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum is a possible option. Tatum previously served as the WNBA's interim president from 2018-19 and could take on an interim commissioner role if Engelbert's replacement isn't found by the end of the year, per Costabile.

The WNBA is coming off a 2026 season in which it reached 90 million unique viewers across all national networks during the regular season, setting a new record.

The league also set records for total and average attendance, drawing 3.8 million fans in the regular season to go along with an average attendance of 11,474 fans per game.

Engelbert's tenure as commissioner still wasn't perfect, as she drew criticism from multiple players during collective bargaining agreement negotiations in 2025.

Now, the WNBA appears to be making progress in the search for its next commissioner.