Adam Silver Reveals Goal for Next WNBA Commissioner After Cathy Engelbert's Retirement

Adam Silver hopes the next WNBA commissioner who replaces the retiring Cathy Engelbert is a unifying figure.

"We're at the stage of this league where understandably there was going to be some tension around collective bargaining," the NBA commissioner said, per Annie Costabile of The Athletic. "Now that we have a long-term agreement in place, we need somebody who is going to help unify the players with the players and the players with ownership. I see that opportunity."

Silver will work with the WNBA's Board of Governors and a search firm that has yet to be named to identify and hire the new commissioner.

The position will be open at the end of the 2026 season because Engelbert announced earlier this month she was retiring.

While she is a polarizing figure in her position, the league has also grown on a number of fronts under her leadership. There will be 18 teams compared to the 12 that were previously in place with the addition of expansion clubs in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia from 2028 through 2030.

ESPN's Alexa Philippou noted the league's media rights are worth $3.1 billion. What's more, the average value of a WNBA franchise is approximately $460 million compared to $10 million in 2019.

Still, she was also the focus of plenty of criticism, especially before the new collective bargaining agreement was put in place. Minnesota Lynx star and WNBA Players Association vice president Napheesa Collier was particularly critical of the commissioner.

The new commissioner will not be working alone in their efforts to unify the league.

Silver said he will "oversee the greater organization" even though things such as rule changes and player concerns should be under "direct control of the WNBA commissioner," per Costabile.

"Having been involved in the WNBA for 30 years, I think there are enormous benefits to running integrated operations," he added. "There are also aspects of the league which I think are best run independently."

Ultimately, he is hoping for a more unified league.