"Be quiet, a black woman is talking" - Jason Whitlock quips about Napheesa Collier’s Cathy Engelbert snub hinting Unrivaled will thrive from lockout

Jason Whitlock has commented on Napheesa Collier cancelling her meeting with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. On Tuesday, Collier had harshly criticized the WNBA’s leadership, including Engelbert, reading out a scathing statement to reporters during her exit interview.

She shared a private conversation with Engelbert where she quoted the commissioner saying the following about her players:

"On their knees, thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them."

The pair were expected to meet next week to discuss Collier’s comments. Engelbert addressed reporters on Friday, ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. While speaking to the media, she denied making the comments that Collier had shared on Tuesday.

"I did not make those comments," Engelbert said. "There is a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media and all of this reporting."

This denial from the WNBA commissioner has seemingly pushed her relationship with the Minnesota star “beyond repair,” according to ESPN.

After reports confirmed that their meeting for next week had been canceled, Jason Whitlock reacted on X to the news, suggesting that the relationship between Collier and Engelbert could prove beneficial to her 3v3 basketball league, Unrivaled.

“A WNBA lockout is in the best interest of Unrivaled, the competing basketball league that Napheesa Collier owns a stake in,” Whitlock wrote. “Remember, ‘Believe all women!’ Also, remember, "Be quiet, a black woman is talking."

Napheesa Collier’s broken relationship with Engelbert will also likely affect the ongoing CBA negotiations between the WNBA and the WNBPA. With the Oct. 31 deadline approaching fast, the commissioner will be hoping for a swift resolution.

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Caitlin Clark pulls out of Napheesa Collier’s Unrivaled with two roster spots left to fill

With the WNBA Finals set, most players around the league have begun planning for the offseason. As such, Unrivaled’s roster for season two is all but wrapped up, with two spots remaining, as the league announced on X on Wednesday.

Some of the league’s biggest stars, including rookie Paige Bueckers, Kelsey Plum and more, have signed on for the new season. On Monday, Unrivaled’s X account announced that two roster spots are left to be filled as they continue to negotiate with players.

Upon hearing this news, fans had speculated that the last two spots would be for Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. They were left disappointed after Front Office Sports reported on Tuesday that Clark will not be a part of Unrivaled’s second season.

Edited by Sameer Khan