Cathy Engelbert has publicly denied making the controversial “be grateful” comments about Caitlin Clark, and instead has repeatedly praised Clark as a transformational star who brought millions of new fans to the WNBA.

What Engelbert was accused of saying

The controversy started when Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier described a private conversation with Engelbert about young WNBA stars’ low rookie salaries.

According to Collier’s account, Engelbert allegedly said that Caitlin Clark:

  • “Should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court.”
  • Because “without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t be making anything.”

These alleged remarks were understood by many fans as minimizing Clark’s own drawing power and putting most of the credit on the league rather than on Clark’s popularity.

What Engelbert actually said on the record

When asked directly in a press conference before the WNBA Finals whether Collier’s version was accurate, Engelbert flatly rejected it.

She said things along the lines of:

  • “Obviously, I did not make those comments.”
  • “Caitlin has been a transformational player in this league.”
  • “She’s been a great representative of the game.”
  • “She’s brought in tens of millions of new fans to the game.”
  • She added that there were “a lot of inaccuracies” in what had been reported about their conversations and said she was “disheartened” by how her talks with players were characterized.

How Caitlin Clark and others reacted

Caitlin Clark did not directly address Engelbert’s alleged quote but did support the broader concerns Collier raised about player pay and treatment.

  • Clark said she respected Collier and that Collier made “a lot of very valid points.”
  • She also framed the dispute as an important moment for the league and player empowerment, without personally attacking Engelbert.

Meanwhile, opinion pieces and fan discussions have criticized Engelbert’s handling of both Clark’s rise and the league’s physical play and officiating, arguing that the league has “fumbled” Clark’s star power and public perception.

Why this became a trending topic

This blew up online because it sits at the intersection of several hot-button issues:

  • Caitlin Clark’s massive impact on ratings, ticket sales, and sponsorships.
  • Long‑running tensions over WNBA salaries and revenue sharing for star players.
  • A sense among some fans and players that league leadership is both benefiting from Clark’s popularity and downplaying her individual leverage.

As of now, the situation is essentially a “he said, she said”: Collier’s account of a private conversation versus Engelbert’s public denial, with Clark trying to stay focused on broader league issues rather than the personal drama.

TL;DR:

  • Collier claims Engelbert said Caitlin Clark should be grateful to the WNBA for her endorsement money and wouldn’t earn it without the league.
  • Engelbert has explicitly denied saying that and instead called Clark “transformational” who brought tens of millions of fans to the WNBA.
  • Clark backed Collier’s larger points about player treatment and pay but did not directly attack Engelbert, keeping the focus on league-wide issues.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.