Overview
- League leaders confirmed the search is active and interviews are under way, a development Engelbert discussed after the WNBA’s competition committee meetings on Thursday, Nov. 12.
- The WNBA hired executive search firm Excel Search & Advisory to run the formal process and Engelbert has submitted candidate recommendations from inside and outside the league.
- Engelbert, who announced in September she will retire at year-end, said she hopes a successor is named by Dec. 31 but will remain commissioner until a replacement is confirmed.
- Competition committee discussions this week flagged near-term priorities the new leader must handle, including officiating reforms, a centralized replay center, the shift to a 50-game schedule, and rollout of new practice facilities.
- Engelbert’s seven-plus years produced major commercial gains—team expansion to 15 franchises, higher TV viewership, private team travel and a long-term media deal—and the incoming commissioner will need to preserve that growth while rebuilding owner-player-agent relationships.