Cathy Engelbert, commissioner of the WNBA, has faced criticism from fans of Caitlin Clark after comparisons were drawn between how the league recognized the Rookie of the Year in 2024.
The 23-year-old Clark had been the centerpiece of the league’s record-breaking season, driving unprecedented television audiences in that 2024 campaign with the Indiana Fever.
Her averages of 19.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists contributed to an average television audience of 1.81 million viewers nationally, a number than slashed down to 794,000 on average when she didn’t play.
She was a shoo-in for the Rookie of the Year Award and it’s no surprise that she claimed it with all but one vote, as one person bizarrely voted for Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.
Yet despite the obvious pick for the honor, she was only told of the fact by a telephone call with the WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, during pregame warmups with her Fever teammates.
For many supporters, this reflected poorly on the league’s leadership. As reported by the Daily Mirror, Clark fans accused Engelbert of “disrespect”, noise that has only got louder in 2025.
That’s because the new WNBA ROTY, Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings, received a far more striking acknowledgement. Engelbert appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show to surprise her.
The 60-year-old from New Jersey joined Hudson’s signature tunnel entrance, greeting the rookie as the trophy was unveiled on national television – far more cinematic and dramatic than Clark‘s muted acknowledgement.
While the reaction was sharp, there are explanations for the differing circumstances. Bueckers and the Wings were already eliminated from playoff contention when her award was presented.
That allowed the league more time to coordinate a public reveal that could serve as a media moment whilst by comparison, Clark’s rookie honor came as Indiana was preparing for its opening-round playoff series against the Connecticut Sun last season.
That left little opportunity for elaborate planning as Clark and the Fever were focused on competition, and the league opted for a quieter announcement to not detract from preparation.
Still, Clark’s relationship with Engelbert has already shown signs of strain. Earlier this year, she publicly criticized the commissioner for the gap in prize money between winning the Commissioner’s Cup and securing the WNBA championship.
Bueckers, by contrast, has maintained a quieter public profile and was surrounded by a supportive entourage willing to coordinate the league’s surprise appearance. That contrast may also have influenced the league’s approach.
Paige Bueckers 2025 stats: How did the Dallas Wings rookie do?
The one thing that isn’t in doubt is whether Bueckers deserved the award as she emerged as the main shining light in what has been a horrific year for the Dallas Wings team.
Fresh out of the UConn Huskies program, the 23-year-old was the overall first pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft for a reason and she backed it up by averaging 19.2 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game, as well as 1.6 steals.
Her most recent outing included posting 24 points against the 27-17 Phoenix Mercury as the Wings managed to get over the season’s finish line with 10 wins on the board. She also added eight rebounds and seven assists.
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