WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert reportedly canceled a scheduled interview with the popular sports program "The Dan Patrick Show," an announcement made by the host on Friday. Both Engelbert and Patrick are currently in Nevada, attending the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament.
According to Patrick, the interview was initially slated for Thursday. He stated that the WNBA's public relations team directed Commissioner Engelbert to withdraw from the engagement.
"We waited almost two hours for her. This was scheduled," Patrick recounted. "She was going to do a meeting in her hotel room, a conference call, and then she was going to join us... We're standing by, we're waiting to interview her."
Patrick indicated that his planned questions for Engelbert would have covered topics such as player Caitlin Clark and potential WNBA expansion.
"Then we got word... that the commissioner said that the WNBA staff, the PR staff, said that she is not allowed to do this. They would prefer that she did not do this," Patrick stated.
Host Expresses Disappointment and Criticism
The host voiced his criticism regarding Engelbert's decision to cancel the interview.
"You're the commissioner, and you're listening to the PR department, which is fine. But did you check with PR before you said yes to us? We promoted it all day yesterday," he remarked, emphasizing the pre-promotion.
Patrick further suggested that the cancellation represented a missed opportunity for the league's leader.
"It was her opportunity to finally say, 'hey, you can ask me the tough questions.' I thought this was going to be a good thing for the WNBA because people still want answers here. There’s so many people who have an opinion, agendas here, and this was a chance to sit down. And yes, would the questions be tough? Yes, yes. And I’m sure that had something to do with it.... So, it’s just disappointing."
He continued, advocating for the league's need to engage with difficult inquiries to bolster its credibility.
"If you want to be treated as a serious league, this is what happens! These are tough questions, but this is a fair outlet for you — a fair platform. I will treat you with respect."
During his Friday broadcast, Patrick even asserted that Commissioner Engelbert was golfing approximately 50 yards from his location, with the show displaying footage of her driving a golf ball.
Ongoing Controversies Surrounding Caitlin Clark
This incident follows previous communication issues Patrick highlighted regarding the WNBA. He previously mentioned on his program that after Phoenix Mercury player Alyssa Thomas struck Clark in the throat, his producers contacted the WNBA on June 25, 2024, seeking a statement but received no response. Patrick publicly criticized the league's silence on June 26, 2026, suggesting it allowed the situation to "spiral out of control."
Commissioner Engelbert has faced considerable scrutiny in recent weeks, particularly after the physical altercation involving Clark. Despite referees initially not calling a foul during the game, the play was later reviewed and upgraded to a Flagrant 1, resulting in a one-game suspension for Thomas. However, the league did not issue a public statement addressing the incident or the increasing pattern of aggressive contact directed at Clark since her entry into the league in 2024.
Instead of addressing the physical play, the WNBA released a statement defending Thomas, reportedly after she experienced online criticism.
"The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is always the league's top priority. We are aware of Alyssa Thomas' comments, and what she and her teammates have experienced is completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community. The league and our security team have been in contact with the Phoenix Mercury organization and remain committed to protecting all players," the statement read.
Further fueling public debate, Clark was ranked 11th in the peer-voted segment of the 2026 WNBA All-Star balloting, despite her performance placing her among the top five players league-wide in both points and assists. This outcome drew sharp criticism, including from WNBA icon Candace Parker, who publicly suggested that players were showing disrespect towards Clark.
"When I sat down, as much as I did not like Diana Taurasi, there ain’t no way I’m not going to write her as an All-Star," Parker stated. "As much as I did not like anyone on the Lynx because they used to whoop our a—, I’m not going to not put Maya Moore or Sylvia Fowles. I think people need to look at themselves in the mirror and realize, like, man, you’ve got some insecurities if you’re sitting down and putting Caitlin Clark as the eleventh best guard."
Congressional Scrutiny and League Response
The controversy escalated significantly, eventually reaching Capitol Hill. Eleven Republican lawmakers collectively sent a letter to Commissioner Engelbert, demanding accountability regarding the perceived physical hostility directed at Clark. The letter even proposed that federal agencies, such as the Department of Justice, investigate the league for potentially fostering a hostile work environment.
In response to the political involvement, White stated, "That's not something we can control. We're not affiliated with those groups. We try to keep the main thing the main thing and focus on the things we can control."
