Sophie Cunningham Backs Adam Silver's WNBA Search as League Prepares 1st Commissioner Change in 7 Years
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 16
Sophie Cunningham Backs Adam Silver's WNBA Search as League Prepares 1st Commissioner Change in 7 Years
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 16
Summary
Sophie Cunningham said she has spoken with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver several times as he leads the search for the WNBA’s next commissioner after Cathy Engelbert’s planned 2026 retirement.
Cunningham said the next leader should be “players first,” maintain open communication and unite a league with varied viewpoints while building on what she called the WNBA’s current boom.
Engelbert, the league’s first commissioner since 2019, is stepping down after seven years during a stretch of rising attendance, TV audiences, sponsorship revenue and franchise valuations.
Her tenure also included an expansion plan from 12 teams to 18 by 2030 plus new media-rights and collective bargaining deals, even as her relationship with players was at times strained.