Swin Cash appeared at a Bloomberg event in New York on Thursday, with the WNBA’s search for a new commissioner fueling the discussion. Cathy Engelbert announced last week that she will retire at the end of 2026 after seven years leading the league. Cash, a basketball Hall of Famer and former executive for the New Orleans Pelicans, is among the top names heavily linked as a possible successor.
When asked directly about Engelbert’s tenure, Cash praised the outgoing commissioner, stating she did an amazing job. However, when the conversation turned to her own name surfacing on candidate shortlists, Cash played coy.
She acknowledged an outpouring of support from industry leaders at the event but didn’t share any interest in the open position. She also told Front Office Sports reporter Margaret Fleming,
“I’ve spoken on it and now we shall move on.”
Cathy Engelbert’s departure ends a period of huge financial growth for the WNBA. Under her oversight, average team values grew from $10 million in 2019 to about $460 million, alongside an expansion roadmap to hit 18 teams by 2030. Still, players frequently criticized her handling of salaries, refereeing and travel conditions.
Not surprisingly, the next commissioner will have to face the same issues. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has not set a formal timeline to name Engelbert’s successor. Until he does, top candidates like Swin Cash have little reason to reveal their plans.
Enes Kanter faces threats amid WNBA Commissioner search
The search for a new WNBA commissioner has collided with a fierce culture debate. Former NBA center Enes Kanter spent recent weeks pushing to join the league by declaring himself a female prospect to expose loopholes in the WNBA’s gender eligibility rules.
He recently sued the Chicago Sky after the franchise banned him indefinitely from Wintrust Arena. Although many critics question his motives, Freedom wants the league’s next collective bargaining agreement to restrict eligibility strictly to biological women.
Appearing on Fox News, he claimed:
“I want to make this very clear. A lot of the WNBA players are coming out and saying I do this for attention. Let me tell you something: my DMs are full of pictures and videos of the moment that Charlie Kirk got shot. They’re saying I am next very soon. This is unacceptable.”
Cathy Engelbert, however, pushed back against these stunts, saying she would not let people use the league as a political football. She noted that while the current WNBA contract states that only women can play, the league does not have any active eligibility issues regarding trans athletes.
She also claimed that if an issue emerges, the league will hold a thoughtful policy discussion with the players’ union rather than reacting to public theater because it is “a complex and nuanced topic.”
Related Articles:
Edited by Sami Haider
