As the WNBA once again faces an explosion of controversy around Caitlin Clark, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert reportedly canceled an interview.
Dan Patrick, host of an eponymously named sports analysis show, revealed that Engelbert stood him up for a planned discussion. This comes as the league is facing renewed criticism over its treatment of Clark after she was punched in the throat by Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas.
Watch:
Dan Patrick on WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert cancelling her appearance on the show:
“If you want to be treated as a serious league, this is what happens! These are tough questions, but this is a fair outlet for you – a fair platform. I will treat you with respect.” pic.twitter.com/15VOBZIxAd
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) July 10, 2026
“Yesterday we were hoping to do an interview with Cathy Engelbert; she’s the WNBA commissioner,” Patrick said, revealing that she had initially agreed to the sitdown.
“So yesterday after the show, we waited almost two hours for her. This was scheduled. She was going to do a meeting in her hotel room, a conference call, and then she was going to join us,” the host continued. “We’re standing by, we’re waiting to interview her. They didn’t balk at anything, they didn’t say ‘You can’t ask anything’ and we thought, okay, we’re going to finally be able to ask questions about Caitlyn Clark, the WNBA expansion, a lot of different things. And we waited and we waited and we waited.”
“Then we got word… that the commissioner said that the WNBA staff, the PR staff, said that she is not allowed to do this. They would prefer that she did not do this,” Patrick said. “You’re the commissioner, and you’re listening to the PR department, which is fine. But did you check with PR before you said yes to us? We promoted it all day yesterday… It was her opportunity to finally say, ‘Hey, you can ask me the tough questions.’ I thought this was going to be a good thing for the WNBA because people still want answers here. There’s so many people who have an opinion, agendas here, and this was a chance to sit down. And yes, would the questions be tough? Yes, yes. And I’m sure that had something to do with it.”
Then he issued a word of advice to the commissioner.
“If you want to be treated as a serious league, this is what happens! These are tough questions, but this is a fair outlet for you — a fair platform. I will treat you with respect.”
X users reacted:
Complete cowardice. How does this woman keep her job?
— R C Brewer (@AJ040101) July 11, 2026
Another example of the W being an amateurish organization, even after 30 years. Too bad, I really try to watch it but it has been increasingly difficult the past few years.
— J D Hendrix (@JDHendrix4241) July 11, 2026
I would let the WNBA be independent from the NBA and let them sink or swim
— Hi my name is Wes (@GrimmSports) July 10, 2026
Very cowardly of you @CathyEngelbert. This is just another reason the WNBA is laughed at.
— InScalleyWeTrust (@Ficklin4Heisman) July 10, 2026
The WNBA is so poorly run. It’s a clown show
— Chase Hirt (@ChaseHirt) July 11, 2026
