WNBA commissioner accuses reporter of sexist question — and no one is buying it

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert managed to steal the focus away from her league on draft night.

The WNBA received premium treatment by airing on ESPN’s flagship channel in prime time on Monday night, but it was actually the pre-draft press conference that has made a lasting impression with viewers online.

‘As women, we get asked different questions than men do.’

With just one simple question from New York Post reporter Madeline Kenney, Engelbert went viral for her odd response.

“How much longer do you anticipate to be in this role?” Kenney asked.

Engelbert immediately attacked the premise:

“I do crack up how everybody’s focused on me,” the commissioner began. “And you should be focused on the hundreds of amazing women and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself … my whole team of, you know, diverse women and men who are working hard every day to get the 30th season tipped off by May 8,” she went on.

Bizarrely, Engelbert then asked if the reporter would dare question a male commissioner the same way.

“I wonder whether you would ask that of a man, by the way. But I realize, as women, we get asked different questions than men do.”

“I would,” the reporter quickly affirmed.

However, those siding with Engelbert were few and far between online, with fans and reporters alike pointing out how often major sports commissioners do receive questions about their tenure and even face calls for resignation.

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“Its [sic] always asked of men. Like, all the time,” one fan responded on X.

“Has she not seen people calling for the heads of every commissioner of every sport?” a Brooklyn Nets fan wrote.

A New York Yankees fan replied, “There is literally nothing wrong with asking that. Give me a break.”

Sports journalists did not offer much solace for the commissioner either. Even Jemele Hill, a reporter from the Athletic known for her frequent political commentary from the left, chimed in:

“If a man had her track record, absolutely” he would be asked, Hill wrote.

There was really no shortage of sports reporters who disagreed with the WNBA boss, including female reporters.

“This would be asked of a man and has,” wrote Front Row Sports’ Annie Costabile. “Her response was a failed attempt at diverting from the discussions about her job security.”

As well, NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach noted that “male pro sports commissioners get asked questions about their future all the time.” Auerbach called it a “totally valid question” that garnered a “fascinating, super-defensive response.”

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Greg Wyshynski, senior NHL writer at ESPN, wrote on X that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman “gets asked this question so often that he’s taken to preemptively answering it before it’s asked.”

Less than a month ago, Bettman was asked directly whether he had plans to step down.

“Absolutely not,” Bettman said, per Sports Illustrated. “You keep trying to get rid of me. No such luck.”

In February, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver faced calls to be fired, while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is routinely asked if he will step down, typically following an embarrassing incident in his league.

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