Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham back Napheesa Collier’s critique of WNBA leadership

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Two days after Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier called out WNBA leadership, Indiana Fever guards Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham added their voices to the conversation, sharing their feelings on the league’s leadership, officiating and the CBA negotiations.

During Indiana’s exit interviews Thursday following its season-ending loss to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA semifinals two days prior, Clark took a modest approach to those topics. Cunningham, however, was more up-front, calling out WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

“I just think they’re failing us as a league, definitely failing us as players,” Cunningham said. “Everything that Napheesa (Collier) said, we all feel that way, and we’re all going to back her, and I think that’s pretty strong coming from her. I think a lot of us have been saying that, but when it comes from someone of that caliber of a player that we’re being serious.”

She added, “I think it’s pretty shameful that she (Engelbert) always makes it about her, when it should have nothing to do with her.”

“I have great respect for (Collier) and I think she made a lot of very valid points,” Clark said. “What people need to understand is that we need great leadership in this time across all levels. This is straight up the most important moment in this league’s history, where this league has been around for 25-plus years, and this is a moment we have to capitalize on.”

The comments from Clark and Cunningham came after a few other star players expressed their support for Collier, the WNBPA vice president who blasted Engelbert and called the WNBA’s leadership “the worst in the world.”

“I’m going to ride with Phee always,” four-time MVP A’ja Wilson said Wednesday in a media session, describing Collier as a “business girlie” who “has her own stuff going on.”

Clark declined to comment on whether she’s had any interactions with Engelbert.

Instead, she echoed the sentiment of those who have spoken out about a need for the league to improve its relationships with players.

“The most important part of leadership, whether that’s the WNBA, whether that’s corporate America, comes down to relationships and really caring about the people you surround yourself with,” Clark said. “Whether it’s a relationship with your front office, whether it’s a relationship with your teammates, that’s the most important thing in leadership.”

Aside from leadership, Cunningham also noted a need for the league to improve its criteria for officiating, suggesting that having more former players in front-office positions would help guide that.

“The criteria needs to change clearly. People are in position to change that, but they don’t know basketball,” Cunningham said. “And maybe that’s on us as players that after we’re done, maybe we try to move into those positions so we can make the next generation better so we can improve the game even when we’re done. I don’t know what that looks like, but I know that definitely needs to change.”

Leadership and contract negotiations aside, Clark’s big focus has been on getting healthy. She hasn’t played since July 15, when she initially injured her groin. Then, she injured her ankle during an individual workout in August. She described the ankle injury as “one of the worst sprains I’ve ever dealt with.”

Now, though, Clark says she’s in a “good spot” and that she’s felt her best over the last couple of weeks.

“I’ve been working really hard to get back to full health,” Clark said. “I think I’ve had a really good perspective on it all and that’s probably what I’m most proud of, too.”

Clark plans to take a week off to give her body a break, but doesn’t want to lose the progress she’s made getting to this point. She has a goal of playing five-on-five sometime this month to get her “feel” for the game back. She aims to be 100 percent and confident in her body as she prepares for USA Basketball activities.

“That’s probably where people struggle to understand at times is there’s a huge difference (between) me standing (and) shooting foul shots (than) running up and down. That’s where the five-on-five becomes really critical, and obviously the contact piece, too,” she said.

Cunningham on Thursday noted that NBA players have reached out to them about the officiating issue, which has validated the frustration of WNBA players. She acknowledged that the game has changed positively, but also pointed to the issues hurting the product and potentially risking injury.

“When we’re competing and it’s like a battlefield out there, but we’re agreeing on the court because of how awful the officials are, that’s saying something,” Cunningham said. “The game’s not fun to watch because then we’re just trying to kill each other, because that’s how you’re going to survive, otherwise you get injured. Our game is changing, yeah, but at the same time you still want to watch good basketball, and when they can’t get (officiating) under control, it’s not fun.”

(Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)

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