ESPN identified seven possible candidates to replace retiring WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, including Swin Cash, Nneka Ogwumike and Mark Tatum.
The WNBA continues to reach new heights in viewership, engagement, and popularity, but with Commissioner Cathy Engelbert set to retire at the end of 2026, the league is preparing to find its next leader.
Engelbert announced on Sept. 4 that she would retire at the end of the calendar year. She told the Associated Press and The IX that she had been working on a succession plan for years and had already compiled a list of internal and external candidates.
ESPN's Alexa Philippou reported on Sept. 8 that the league is not limiting itself to the type of corporate executive it has traditionally considered.
"A source familiar told ESPN the league is approaching the process of hiring Cathy Engelbert's replacement with an open mind," Philippou wrote on X.
"Recognizing that the WNBA is now at a point where a leader without a traditional background in the corporate world might offer advantages," she added.
WNBA Begins Search for Cathy Engelbert's Successor
Engelbert initially planned to hold the job for only three and a half years. By the time she leaves, she will have been commissioner for more than seven years.
She told The IX that she has been working on the succession plan for roughly three years and has already submitted a list of potential internal and external candidates to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
ESPN listed several names that have been discussed around the league as possible successors: former UConn star and WNBA player Swin Cash, New York Liberty CEO Keia Clarke, WNBA head of operations Bethany Donaphin, Nike vice president of global sports marketing Tanya Hvizdak, WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike, Golden State Valkyries president Jess Smith, and NBA deputy commissioner and COO Mark Tatum.
Tatum has experience in the role. He served as the WNBA's interim president between Lisa Borders' departure and Engelbert's arrival in 2019.
ESPN's Michael Voepel highlighted Clarke as an intriguing option. She has been with the Liberty since 2011 and became CEO in 2020, overseeing the business side of a franchise that has grown considerably and won its first championship in 2024.
Clarke also has experience with the NBA and WNBA league offices and postgraduate business degrees from NYU and Harvard.
Of the names ESPN mentioned, Clarke presents an interesting mix of league experience, team-level leadership, and business background.
WNBA Season Paused for FIBA World Cup
The WNBA is currently on break for international play and will resume Sept. 17. The postseason begins Sept. 27.
Minnesota sits first in the standings at 31-9, followed by Golden State at 29-11. Las Vegas is third at 27-13, with Atlanta and Indiana both at 26-14.
Team USA is also moving through the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
The U.S. finished group play 3-0 after beating China, Italy, and Czechia. It will face Hungary on Sept. 10 in the quarterfinals.
Hungary advanced with an 84-63 win over Japan on Sept. 8. The winner will move on to the World Cup semifinals.
While the WNBA's best players compete for a world championship, the league also has a major decision ahead off the court.
For the first time since 2019, it will need a new commissioner.
