Cathy Engelbert faced relentless boos at Barclays Center as she presented the Commissioner’s Cup to the New York Liberty after their 93-85 win over the Las Vegas Aces—an in-season tournament introduced in 2021. The hostile reception comes amid growing scrutiny
For the length of a few sentences, Cathy Engelbert couldn’t get her message out at Barclays Center.
The WNBA commissioner tried to present the Commissioner’s Cup trophy on Tuesday—the tournament named for her—after the New York Liberty beat the Las Vegas Aces 93-85. But boos started the instant the namesake touched the mic, and they didn’t let up until she finished speaking. New York outlasted a fourth-quarter comeback from the reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces to secure the win.
The Liberty left with a $500. 000 prize and became the league’s first two-time champions in the in-season tournament. which was introduced in 2021. Breanna Stewart won MVP in the title game. a notable turnaround given she was dealing with injuries on her way to an early playoff exit last season. Yet Engelbert’s remarks appeared to be swallowed by the crowd. After acknowledging the teams. she delivered a congratulations that quickly became a formality. with the boos continuing as she tried to land the ending of her presentation.
“Congratulations to both teams. Hard fought by the Aces to get here tonight,” Engelbert said. “But Clara and Joe, the entire Liberty organization, the entire Liberty coaching staff … 2026 Commissioner’s Cup champions. Congratulations.”
The timing matters. Engelbert’s reception in Brooklyn landed during a renewed period of scrutiny around how the league has handled conflict—and what many players view as a lack of engagement when controversy erupts.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas added to that pressure by calling on Engelbert and the WNBA to take action after Thomas was subjected to death threats and online abuse following her suspension for “recklessly” making contact with Caitlin Clark’s throat during the Mercury’s 111-109 win over the Indiana Fever on June 24. Thomas said the league did not reach out to her about the suspension or in the aftermath of the on-court incident.
None of this is isolated to this week. Engelbert previously faced the same kind of backlash in Phoenix last year when her voice was again overwhelmed by relentless boos from fans as she attempted to congratulate the Aces and crown them the WNBA champions.
That earlier moment came with another player-led rebuke. Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier called Engelbert and the WNBA out for having the “worst leadership in the world.” Several WNBA players, including Aces star A’ja Wilson, publicly supported Collier’s comments.
The sequence now is stark: Engelbert tries to officiate major league moments tied to her own title—while players and fans point to unresolved disputes around discipline, communication, and how quickly the league responds when incidents spill beyond the court.
After Tuesday’s boos. the Liberty celebrated a rare achievement—first franchise to win two Commissioner’s Cups—while Engelbert’s role as the tournament namesake became the focal point instead. In a league already bracing for public scrutiny. Tuesday’s trophy presentation turned into a test of whether the WNBA commissioner can speak through the noise—or whether the public anger simply keeps widening.
WNBA Cathy Engelbert Commissioner’s Cup New York Liberty Las Vegas Aces Barclays Center Alyssa Thomas Caitlin Clark death threats suspension Breanna Stewart A'ja Wilson Napheesa Collier