Cathy Engelbert, who has served as the WNBA’s first commissioner since 2019, announced she will retire at the end of 2026. Her leadership period marked a time of exceptional growth for the league, with significant spikes in television viewership, game attendance, sponsorship, and franchise values. During her tenure, the league expanded from 12 teams to 18 by 2030 and saw the valuation of the average WNBA team rise to $460 million, highlighted by the Golden State Valkyries becoming the first women’s team valued at $1 billion.

Engelbert played a key role in negotiating a groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement earlier this year, which brought the largest pay increases in the history of the WNBA. This deal aimed to better align player salaries with the rapidly growing audience and economic footprint of the league. WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike praised the agreement as a crucial step forward for player compensation and recognition of their worth.

Despite these advances, Engelbert’s time as commissioner was not without controversy. Some players expressed dissatisfaction with her handling of issues such as officiating, compensation adequacy, and the league’s response to player concerns about racism and harassment. Criticism intensified around recent political debates concerning transgender athletes, which some believed Engelbert and the league did not adequately address or manage.

In her retirement statement, Engelbert expressed gratitude toward WNBA and NBA owners, staff, players, and fans, emphasizing the growth and sustainability achieved under her watch. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver commended her for steering the league through its most transformative era. As the search for her successor begins, the WNBA looks to build on the foundation laid during Engelbert’s impactful seven-year leadership.