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After more than seven years in charge, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert is retiring.
The 62-year-old announced her intention to step down at the end of the calendar year on Friday.
“I had only intended to do this job for three-and-a-half years,” Engelbert told The IX Sports. “I did. It’ll be seven-and-a-half by the end of the year, and obviously, I turned 62 in November. [It] was always my goal to retire at 62, and I just feel like we’re in a really good place from a variety of perspectives on the league. Obviously, it’s been an incredible seven and a half years. It’s been a great privilege.”
Under Engelbert's helm, the WNBA has seen its revenues flourish. She hasn't always been the most popular figure under the WNBA banner. But she has retained her place at the top, leading the best women's basketball league as it has cemented itself as a formidable entity in the world of North American sport.
Engelbert's departure comes with some caveats. She'll play a leading role in finding her replacement and vowed to extend her stay if she isn't able to immediately identify a new person to take her position, according to the Associated Press.
Nevertheless, the search is one for someone capable of filling in for Engelbert for the long run. With that, here are some candidates that could seek to take the reins of the WNBA's league office following Engelbert's retirement.
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Cathy Engelbert replacements for WNBA commissioner
Mark Tatum
Engelbert will anchor the succession plan for a new commissioner, according to The IX Sports' Howard Megdal. She has reportedly already submitted a list of internal to external candidates to WNBA owners and NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who will make the final call on her successor.
Few people have worked as closely with Silver as NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer Mark Tatum. A 27-year veteran under the NBA banner, Tatum has played a leading role in facilitating business dealings for the Association. He led the league's push for notable business partnerships, including Nike and Gatorade.
It's unclear whether Tatum would want to take on the role. He likely commands a hefty salary with the NBA and has carved out a notable niche in the NBA ecosystem. Nevertheless, if Engelbert wants to suggest a candidate adept at protecting owners' interests, Tatum looks equal to the task.
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Nneka Ogwumike
Ogwumike can be considered an unlikely prospect to receive the position. The Sparks standout has served as president of the WNBPA since 2016. The players' union has locked horns with ownership throughout her tenure, most recently engaging in lengthy negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement ahead of the 2026 season.
A 15-year veteran who captured MVP honors in 2016, Ogwumike is one of the most pivotal figures in league history. Her work as WNBPA president is arguably as impactful as her on-court accolades — under her tutelage, the players saw their salaries soar exponentially. She appears to be diametrically opposed to the interests of the ownership class, making it all the less likely that she would collect enough support to put forth a real push for the position.
Nevertheless, on the off-chance that Silver wants to appoint someone with a strong reputation for WNBA's labor force, Ogwumike would be an ideal option.
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Andrea Brimmer
As the chief marketing and public relations officer at Ally Financial, Brimmer has the sort of corporate finance background that could appeal to someone like Engelbert, a former Deloitte executive.
Brimmer is also an avid sports fan. Ally has taken on a similar disposition since her appointment in 2015, striking business partnerships with the WNBA, NWSL and Unrivaled.
Hailed for her charisma and willingness to invest equal sums in men's and women's sports, Brimmer seems the right blend to curry favor with the WNBA's Board of Governors.
“In terms of background, commitment to women’s sports, business acumen and realistic affordability," an anonymous NBA executive told Sports Business Journal in 2025, "I’m putting my money on Andrea Brimmer.”
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Micky Lawler
Unrivaled has been a boon to WNBA players' pockets since its inaugural season in 2025, offering a sustainable alternative for the sport's finest talents during the offseason. The competitor league has also proven to be financially viable; Unrivaled boasted a $340 million valuation just seven months after it wrapped up its first campaign.
Commissioner Micky Lawler can be considered a major reason for that success. The former president of the WTA, Lawler is a veteran in women's sports who has established strong partnerships with a variety of figures in the business world. Her relationship with WNBA players is strong — she garnered enough support from Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier to become the nascent competition's first commissioner.
Lawler is something of an outside candidate given that she hasn't really interacted with the NBA and WNBA spheres thus far in her career. But as long as she is able to showcase those impressive profits Unrivaled has collected since its inception, it seems plausible to believe the Board of Governors won't mind.
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