All fingers point to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert whenever the league is under scrutiny, but Hall of Famer coach Muffet McGraw is not so extreme on this matter.

Speaking on Good Game with Sarah Spain, the Notre Dame legend weighed in on the growing criticism surrounding Engelbert.

The commissioner is often blamed for player safety and marketing, league discipline, and even personal communication with players.

“I think a lot of things that happen in the teams, you know, the teams aren’t doing what they need to do. And I would be interested to see that because a lot of the communication could be better. Communication definitely could be better.” McGraw told Spain.

One of the biggest debates and issues fans have with Engelbert's leadership is the lack of capitalization on Caitlin Clark, by far the WNBA's biggest star in recent memory.

Ever since her inception in 2024, the Caitlin Clark effect has caused massive spikes in viewership, public interest, TV ratings, ticket sales, and many other metrics.

The former No. 1 overall draft pick's debut All-Star Game garnered the highest-viewed WNBA All-Star Game of all time, with 3.44 million viewers per league sources.

But this season, in a surprising move, Clark was left out of the WNBA's 30th anniversary poster, which obviously did not sit right with fans and caused massive backlash on social media, putting Engelbert in the negative limelight once again.

However, McGraw suggested that the public often assumed that as the league's figurehead, Engelbert controls every aspect of the league’s operations. And instead of choosing sides, the Hall of Famer had a different approach around the Clark debate.

Muffet McGraw Shares a Different Perspective on the Caitlin Clark Debate

Speaking on the growing criticism surrounding Engelbert over how Clark is marketed, instead of choosing sides, McGraw questioned whether that responsibility is Engelbert’s to begin with.

“She has done a great job on the business side. I mean, the franchises are worth so much money now,” McGraw said.

“I would actually like to see what her job description is because I get frustrated when I read somebody tweeting like, ‘I sprained my ankle, and Cathy didn’t send me a note.’ And I thought, is that her job too? I mean, I would love to know really what her job is. They’re not marketing Caitlin Clark. Is that her job? I don’t know.”

All in all, while McGraw did not oppose or talk in favor of Engelbert, the Hall of Famer has reminded us all that before conveniently targeting a person, we need to understand who is making the decisions in the first place.

Regardless, with Engelbert's contract with the WNBA expiring this year, there is uncertainty around whether she will remain in this position come next season.

So, do you think Cathy Engelbert is wrongfully blamed for Caitlin Clark's marketing this season? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy