The Minnesota Lynx may have been eliminated earlier than expected in the WNBA Semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury, but Napheesa Collier decided that her exit interview was not going to be standard but rather a full-on message to the league.<\/p>\n
Coming from one of the league’s superstars and a vice president of the WNBA Player’s Association, this is a massive deal. When an MVP-caliber player speaks out with this kind of directness and detail, it forces the league as a whole to look in the mirror. <\/p>\n
Napheesa Collier\u2019s full statement today, where she challenged Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA with directness and stunning detail we rarely hear from active players. Worth listening to every word. pic.twitter.com\/IRTvTc52EA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Collier called out the WNBA’s leadership for what she said is the \u201cworst leadership in the world,\u201d blasting WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for alleged dismissive remarks about player compensation.<\/p>\n The Lynx star received a lot of attention on social media from her peers, but the most significant was when Collier made public allegations that Engelbert said that players should be “on their knees, thanking their lucky stars” and that Caitlin Clark should be “grateful” for the league’s new media rights agreement. <\/p>\n The four-time WNBA MVP, A’ja Wilson, fresh off winning in the semifinals against the Indiana Fever to advance to yet another WNBA Finals, spoke on Napheesa Collier’s comments. <\/p>\n According to Minnesota Lynx on SI’s Will Despart<\/a>, Wilson said, “I had an opportunity to listen to (Napheesa Collier), and I just want to say I was honestly disgusted by the comments that Cathy (Engelbert) made. But at the same time, I’m very appreciative that we have people like Phee in our committee of our players association representing us, because that’s where we’re going to have to continue to make the push to stand on what we believe in.”<\/p>\n A’ja Wilson on Napheesa Collier’s statement:<\/p>\n “I was honestly disgusted by the comments that Cathy made. I’m gonna ride with Phee always. We gotta continue to stand on business” pic.twitter.com\/V70qSuoGU8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) October 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n She continued to give high praise to Collier, saying, “I’m grateful to have those type of people be able to continue to speak up for us. I’m gonna ride with Phee always, because she knows, obviously she’s a business girly, and she has her own stuff going on. But moving forward, we got to continue to continue to stand on business as we talk about this CBA negotiation.\u201d<\/p>\n Collier and Wilson are two of the most dominant frontcourt players in the WNBA, and they push each other to the limit <\/a>every time they match up. <\/p>\n Both were top MVP candidates, but Wilson’s remarkable ending to the season gave her the edge over the Lynx’s face of the franchise. <\/p>\n Napheesa Collier has stated her MVP case after a historic season \ud83d\udcc8 pic.twitter.com\/lAEfF75HqR<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) September 12, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Wilson led the league<\/a> with 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, while Collier was right there with her, averaging 22.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, leading the Lynx to the top seed in the WNBA. <\/p>\n This is the sitting WNBA MVP and face of the league, A’ja Wilson, essentially co-signing a call for a massive change in the league. If the two best players in women’s basketball can link up to demand better treatment, it signals to the league that it is time to get serious in discussions. <\/p>\n Napheesa Collier Goes Scorched Earth on WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert<\/a><\/p>\n A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier WNBA MVP Odds Change Drastically After Aces-Lynx<\/a><\/p>\n WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert Responds to Napheesa Collier’s Message<\/a><\/p>\n