When Cathy Engelbert appeared on ‘CNBC Monday’, she likely didn’t anticipate the backlash she’d face from the WNBA players’ union. Her cautious responses to sensitive social issues didn’t sit well with the WNBPA, which swiftly voiced its disappointment. Now, amidst the growing tension, Angel Reese also seemed to join the fray, shooting hidden arrows at the WNBA commissioner.

In a playful nod, Angel Reese commented on Nneka Ogwumike’s post and wrote, “hey commisss…i mean madam presidentttt.” It seems Reese hinted at Ogwumike as a potential future WNBA commissioner—a suggestion that might not sit too well with the current commissioner, Cathy Engelbert. Notably, Ogwumike has served as the president of the players’ union for eight years and has been re-elected twice.

Recently, the Seattle Storm star shared some striking photos on Instagram. She sported a top with “Madam President” emblazoned across it. Her caption, “reporting for duty,” hinted at her active role as president of the WNBPA, the league’s player union dedicated to safeguarding player rights.

On the other hand, Engelbert became the WNBA’s first commissioner in 2019, taking on the task of boosting the visibility of women’s basketball and steering the league through a period of transformation. But what recent comments from her have turned into a controversy?

Cathy Engelbert’s controversial comments ignite backlash from WNBPA

Cathy Engelbert appeared on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” this Monday, where the anchor asked her about the increasingly “darker” conversations on social media which often involve discussions revolving around sensitive issues. “How do you try and stay ahead of that, try and tamp it down or act as a league when two of your most visible players are involved — not personally, it would seem, but their fan bases are involved — in saying some very uncharitable things about the other?” the anchor asked.

Engelbert offered a measured response, drawing a parallel to the iconic Bird-Magic rivalry of 1979. She said, “There’s no more apathy. Everybody cares. It is a little of that Bird-Magic moment if you recall from 1979, when those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry… And so we have that moment with these two. But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another.”

As soon as this response caught the attention of WNBPA, their executive director Terri Jackson issued a statement completely disregarding Engelbert’s take on the issue. “This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model…It demands immediate action, and frankly, should have been addressed long ago,” she wrote among many things.

Later on, the Liberty star who serves as the vice president of the union body also expressed her disapproval of the commissioner’s remarks. Now, with the rookie Angel Reese also passing a subtle comment to the WNBA commissioner, the clash between Engelbert’s diplomatic stance and the WNBPA’s firm stance on social issues underscores a growing divide.