Overview
- Saturday, Oct. 17, Cathy Engelbert said she has been preparing a succession plan for about three years and has submitted names to the search firm now vetting candidates.
- The NBA hired Excel Search & Advisory to lead the formal search while Adam Silver and the WNBA Board of Governors retain final approval over the hire.
- Engelbert told reporters the next commissioner will need “very thick skin” and the ability to sustain revenue growth, rebuild relationships with players and agents, and oversee safety and tech upgrades.
- Under Engelbert’s seven‑year tenure the WNBA secured roughly a $3 billion media‑rights deal, expanded teams and staff, and boosted player pay, even as the league faced contentious CBA talks, officiating criticism and online harassment of players.
- Observers say the search’s transparency and conflict‑of‑interest safeguards for Excel will be closely watched because the outcome could affect player trust, governance reform and operational rollouts such as the centralized replay center due in 2027.