WNBA just made self-created Caitlin Clark problem worse for no reason

The WNBA has a Caitlin Clark problem, and it's starting to sound like it's all of the league's own making. On Tuesday, September 30, Minnesota Lynx leader Napheesa Collier told reporters during the team's exit interviews that, among other things, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert allegedly told her that Clark "should be grateful for the WNBA because the league is responsible for her sponsorship deals, per reporting from ESPN's Myron Medcalf.

That's a bold claim, and it's not something Collier would say lightly or without intent. It also signals that despite appearances, there's a bit of a break between Clark and the WNBA's leadership, and Engelbert and the rest of her team may be taking one of their most bankable stars for granted.

As Collier put it, she and Engelbert were having a conversation about younger players in the league when Clark came up. "I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin, Angel, and Paige, who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years," Collier said. "Her response was, 'Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16M off the court, because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything. She told me players should be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal I got them.'"

Caitlin Clark has had a testy relationship with the WNBA this season

Clark, who missed most of the 2025 season due to a series of leg, groin, and ankle injuries, hasn't exactly been the WNBA's biggest fan this year. Clark has spent a lot of time on the sidelines instead of on the court, a reality that has been disappointing for fans but that has likely allowed her to see the game from what is literally a different angle.

It's become increasingly clear that Clark and her teammates (as well as Coach Stephanie White) have not been happy with the officiating this season. They are hardly the only team in the league who has expressed that sentiment — the Aces' coach Becky Hammon has openly disagreed with calls made during games and blasted refs afterward for it; the Valkyries' coach Natalie Nakase has made it clear where she stands on the topic (she's not a fan of the refs); and the Lynx's Cheryl Reeve was most recently ejected from a Semifinals game following a huge outburst that saw her storming the court.

While playing a game in July, Clark openly told a ref to "grow up." She made it through that exchange without any major damage. The game was the same one in which Clark suffered a groin injury, something her brother later penned on the game's refs (Colin first posted a tweet that read, "No mistake, this is on the reffing" before deleting it).

Clark was also $200 in September after commenting on Instagram, "Refs couldn't stop us" and "Elite bench mob."

"Got fined $200 for this lol BENCH MOB WILL BE EVEN MORE ROWDY TOMORROW LETS GOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Clark tweeted September 20 — a clear indication that no only was she unbothered by the $200 fine, she was even seemingly completely open to incurring more if it meant supporting her teammates the way they need her to.

While Clark's back and forth with refs has at this point become part of the game for Fever fans, and the 23-year-old has no problem paying $200 here and there, the ongoing discord points to a more concerning reality: the WNBA's Caitlin Clark problem has nothing to do with how she plays and everything to do with how seriously leadership takes the enthusiasm fans have for her and the power she could potentially wield if necessary.

Sure, the WNBA is in charge... but only as long as Clark is playing along.