Dave Portnoy has again turned his spotlight toward the WNBA, this time taking aim at Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s handling of remarks about star rookie Caitlin Clark, going as far as to suggest Clark could simply launch her own league.
Portnoy’s reaction comes in the wake of a blistering statement by Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, who alleged that during private conversations Engelbert told her that Clark “should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”
Collier also claimed Engelbert said that players “should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.”
Collier’s broad critique of league leadership further included, “We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world. But right now we have the worst leadership in the world.”
Portnoy hits back at Engelbert
Those remarks struck a chord with Portnoy. He pushed back against what he saw as dismissive treatment of Clark’s value, and as usual, did not hold back his sarcasm.
Portnoy argued that the league’s internal logic was backwards: why ask a rising star to show gratitude for what should be her rightful earning potential? Instead, he framed the commissioner’s stance as tone-deaf and out of date with the WNBA’s current growth trajectory.
He went further, challenging the notion that Clark needs the WNBA more than it needs her. Portnoy floated the provocative notion: if the league is unwilling to recognize Clark’s market worth or support her properly, she could simply start a rival organization.
In his view, Clark already commands attention, fan support, and commercial appeal, factors that could sustain a competing venture.
Portnoy’s comments arrive amid escalating tensions between WNBA leadership and its players. Collier’s exit interview turned into a rally cry that spotlighted issues of compensation, respect, and structural inequities.
By amplifying those words and placing Clark at the center of the conflict, Portnoy thrust the rookie into the role of both supporter and lightning rod.
What is Caitlin Clark’s stance?
Clark herself had already spoken publicly about a related imbalance in tournament payouts. After Indiana Fever’s Commissioner’s Cup victory, she pointed out that her team received more money for that tournament than players would receive for winning the WNBA Finals.
“You get more (money) for this than you do if you’re the (WNBA Finals) champion … Someone tell (WNBA commissioner) Cathy (Engelbert) to help us out.” That comment gave added weight to Portnoy’s criticisms and Collier’s allegations.
While Portnoy is not a traditional voice in WNBA labor debates, his outspoken support for Clark and alignment with players’ frustrations gives him a unique platform.
He has previously weighed in on league finances, player pay, and commercial transparency, often with brash flair. This time, he used that voice to challenge the commissioner’s authority and assert that Clark needs neither permission nor gratitude to chart her own course.
Whether Portnoy’s suggestion that Clark start her own league is realistic or merely rhetorical remains debatable. But his words underscore a growing impatience among fans, commentators, and even outsider celebrities with how the WNBA values-publicly and privately-its headlining talents.
As Clark’s star continues to rise, the mismatch between her market value and her terms within the league may become harder to ignore.
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