Cathy Engelbert will step down as WNBA commissioner at the end of the 2026 calendar year, bringing her seven-and-a-half-year tenure as the league’s first commissioner to a close.
Engelbert’s retirement was announced Friday, September 4, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirming the decision. Her departure comes as the WNBA enters a period of unprecedented growth in popularity, business value, player salaries and expansion.
Cathy Engelbert Announces WNBA Retirement
Engelbert said her decision to retire has been several years in the making. When she accepted the WNBA commissioner position in 2019, she initially expected to remain in the role for about three and a half years.
Instead, her tenure reached seven and a half years.
Engelbert, who turned 62 in November, said retirement at that age had long been one of her personal goals. She believes the WNBA is now in a strong enough position for her to hand leadership to the next generation.
The commissioner has already spent roughly three years preparing a succession plan. A list of internal and external candidates has been submitted to WNBA owners and Adam Silver, who will ultimately determine her successor.
Engelbert’s Impact on the WNBA
Cathy Engelbert took over a WNBA that faced questions about its long-term sustainability. The league has since undergone a dramatic transformation.
The WNBA has grown from 12 teams to a planned 18 by 2030, while its media rights agreements, corporate partnerships, attendance, digital engagement and franchise valuations have all reached new levels.
Engelbert also helped oversee major changes to player compensation through collective bargaining agreements. By 2026, the league’s minimum salary had surpassed what had been the maximum salary just one year earlier, highlighting the scale of the financial transformation.
The league office itself expanded substantially during her tenure, growing from just 12 employees when she arrived to nearly 100.
Major WNBA Milestones Under Cathy Engelbert
Engelbert’s time as commissioner included several defining moments in WNBA history.
In 2020, she guided the league through the COVID-19 pandemic and the creation of the WNBA “Wubble” in Bradenton, Florida, allowing the season to be completed despite the global health crisis.
A year later, the WNBA introduced the Commissioner’s Cup, adding a new competitive event to the league calendar.
In 2022, Engelbert helped lead a $75 million capital raise designed to support long-term investments in marketing, fan engagement, digital products and international growth.
Her tenure also included the introduction of a league-wide charter flight program, improving travel conditions for WNBA teams and players.
The league’s regular-season schedule also expanded, reaching 44 games before increasing to 50 games beginning with the 2027 season.
WNBA Expansion Continues
One of Engelbert’s biggest achievements has been positioning the WNBA for sustained expansion.
The league is set to grow from 12 teams at the beginning of her tenure to 18 by 2030, with new franchises planned in markets including Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia.
Rather than simply expanding the number of teams, the league has increasingly positioned itself as a major global sports business with growing commercial opportunities.
Engelbert pointed to long-term media agreements and built-in escalators as reasons she believes the WNBA is positioned for continued growth after her departure.
Cathy Engelbert’s Favorite WNBA Moment
Despite the league’s massive media and financial developments during her tenure, Engelbert said her favorite part of the job has been the WNBA Draft.
She described the draft as an opportunity to welcome the next generation of players and help transform them from college stars into nationally and globally recognized professional athletes.
That perspective reflects one of the central themes of Engelbert’s tenure: building the WNBA around its players while increasing their visibility and commercial opportunities.
The 2026 WNBA Draft, where Azzi Fudd was selected first overall by the Dallas Wings, was one of the latest examples of that transition.
Why Is Cathy Engelbert Retiring?
Engelbert emphasized that her retirement is primarily about reaching a point in her life when she feels ready for a change.
After more than four decades in business, including her time as Deloitte CEO before joining the WNBA, she said she wants to spend more time with her family.
She also acknowledged that criticism surrounding the WNBA over the past year affected those close to her. Engelbert said she has a strong ability to handle public criticism, but the impact on her children, mother and extended family was more difficult.
Her family has encouraged her to step away and spend more time with them.
The loss of longtime Deloitte colleague and close friend Greg Durant this summer also prompted Engelbert to reflect on how she wants to spend the next stage of her life.
A New Era Begins for the WNBA
Cathy Engelbert will leave the WNBA at a dramatically different point from when she arrived in 2019.
The league now has greater media exposure, higher player compensation, expanding franchises and increased commercial interest. WNBA players have become major stars, while the league itself has emerged as one of the most prominent properties in women’s professional sports.
Adam Silver praised Engelbert for leading the WNBA through what he described as the most significant period of growth in its 30-year history.
Engelbert will remain in charge through the end of 2026 as the league prepares for its next chapter. Her successor will inherit a WNBA with considerable momentum—and expectations that its rapid growth will continue.
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