'Worst leadership in the world,' says WNBA player in drama overshadowing finals

The WNBA finals start Friday, but it's not the matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury that has basketball fans talking.

It's the matchup between Minnesota Lynx's five-times All-Star Napheesa Collier and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after Collier ripped into the WNBA's leadership in a post-season media conference Tuesday.

Collier, a vice president with the WNBA players' union and co-founder of off-season 3x3 basketball league Unrivaled, accused the WNBA of a "tone-deaf, dismissive" approach to players. In her four-minute speech, Collier blasted Engelbert for being "negligent" in her governance.

"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," Collier said Tuesday.

"[Officiating] has now reached levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity in which it operates," Collier told reporters. "They ignore the issues that everyone inside the game is begging to be fixed — that is negligence."

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s Statement <a href="https://t.co/NkxBHSRXMf">pic.twitter.com/NkxBHSRXMf</a>

Engelbert has since released a statement that she's "disheartened" by Collier's characterizations, and has the "utmost respect" for her and all WNBA players. But fans are flooding social media with calls for Engelbert, who became the league's commissioner in 2019, to be fired.

"You're a disgrace," wrote one fan on X, as others told her to "pack your bags."

The players, meanwhile, also appear to be backing Collier.

"I'm going to ride with Phee always," said Aces star and MVP A'ja Wilson in response.

"Phee speaks for me," Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike posted on X.

"When Phee