WNBA players are throwing their support behind Napheesa Collier after her scathing statement about the league’s leadership, and in particular, commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

Collier criticized the WNBA as having “the worst leadership in the world” when she spoke with reporters for her exit interview after the Lynx were eliminated from the WNBA semifinals by the Mercury.

Fans have exploded with reactions online, many siding with the players. “The WNBA doesn’t exist without them—pay attention to their voices,” one fan tweeted, while another wrote: “If they strike, I’m with them 100%. Enough is enough.”

Others, however, worry about the consequences of a strike during a moment when the league is enjoying unprecedented growth in viewership and sponsorships.

The debate has only heightened the sense of chaos, with every headline adding fuel to the fire.

The league office has yet to release a formal statement, but insiders claim leadership was blindsided by the speed and scale of the rebellion.

What was once dismissed as isolated grumbling has turned into a collective movement that now includes some of the league’s biggest stars.

Meetings between players’ representatives and the WNBA Players Association are reportedly being scheduled immediately to discuss potential next steps, including the possibility of withholding participation in upcoming games if demands aren’t taken seriously.

A slew of players across the league have voiced their support in one form or another for the five-time All-Star and her comments on Tuesday.

Napheesa Collier during the second half of the Lynx’s Game 3 loss to the Mercury on Sept.26, 2025 in Phoenix. Getty Images

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese posted on X, “10/10. No notes!”

Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby posted on X: “@PHEEsespieces thank you for your bravery!!!!!!!!”

Fellow Sparks star Cameron Brinks shared Collier’s more than four-minute-long statement in an Instagram Story, and WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers posted a photo of herself and Collier with the words “Queen Phee” written under it with a crown emoji.

“I think I agree with everything [Collier] said,” Indiana Fever star Lexie Hull told reporters in Las Vegas, according to ESPN. “We’re at a really important time in the league and changes need to be made, and so you’re seeing her talk about that, and really proud of her for making that statement today.”

New York Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison weighed in on X, writing, “Standing with Phee.”

Among those who offered support was the WNBAPA .

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks during a press conference announcing a WNBA franchise in Cleveland on September 16, 2025 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NBAE via Getty Images

“Napheesa Collier is an outstanding leader and Officer of this Union,” the union said in a statement of Collier, who serves as the WNBPA vice president.

“When Phee speaks, people listen. We are confident that her words today speak to the feelings and experiences of many, if not most or all of our members.

What happens next could define the future of the league for decades. If the players stand firm and the league resists, the result could be a season-altering work stoppage.

If leadership acts quickly and meaningfully, however, this moment could spark reforms that transform the WNBA into the league players have long dreamed of. Either way, the rebellion has already changed the conversation.

As Collier put it in her fiery rant: “We love this game. We’ve given everything to it. But if the league keeps ignoring us, we will make sure they hear us—loud and clear.” With stars like Angel Reese and others uniting behind her, that message has never been louder, and the WNBA is officially on notice.

The leaders of the league and its teams would benefit from listening to her powerful statement. The players know their value even if the league does not. They are fighting for their legacy and the future of basketball.”

WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark did not have a comment on Collier’s statement, a spokesperson for the Fever told multiple outlets.

Among the revelations from Collier was Engelbert’s alleged passive view of the players.

Minnesota star Napheesa Collier watches from the bench during the second half of the Lynx’s Game 4 loss to the Mercury on Sept. 28, 2025. Getty Images

“This past February, I sat across from [Engelbert] and asked how she planned to address the officiating issues in our league,” Collier said. “Her response was, ‘Well, only the losers complain about the refs.’ I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like [Clark, Reese and Bueckers], who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league and are making so little for their first four years.

The WNBA is facing one of the biggest player uprisings in its history after Napheesa Collier’s explosive rant lit a firestorm that now threatens to engulf the league. Collier, normally known as one of the most composed and respected voices in the game, broke her silence in a scorched-earth tirade that accused league leadership of failing its players and, in her words, “destroying us from the inside out.” Her words, raw and unfiltered, have become the rallying cry for a movement that is quickly spiraling into talk of a full-blown strike.

The fallout has been immediate. Angel Reese, one of the league’s most visible young stars, wasted no time throwing her full support behind Collier, posting on social media that “everything she said is facts.” Her declaration triggered a domino effect across the league, with players like Sophie Cunningham, Kelsey Mitchell, and even veterans such as DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas echoing Collier’s frustrations. The result is an unprecedented wave of unity that cuts across rookies, stars, and seasoned veterans, all banding together against what they see as a broken system.

At the center of the fury is a long list of grievances that players say have gone unaddressed for too long. From subpar travel conditions to uneven scheduling, questionable officiating, and lack of transparency in league decision-making, the frustration has boiled over. Collier’s most damning accusation was that leadership prioritizes short-term marketing and flashy narratives—like hyping select rookies—over the actual well-being of players who sacrifice their bodies for the game. “We’re not props, we’re professionals,” Collier declared. “We deserve better.”

What makes this moment particularly volatile is the timing. The league is in the midst of its most-watched season ever, riding the wave of surging star power and a new generation of talent. Sponsors and television partners are heavily invested, and the prospect of a player strike would be catastrophic for the momentum the WNBA has worked so hard to build. But for players, that leverage is exactly the point. By threatening to bring the season to a standstill, they are forcing the league to reckon with the consequences of ignoring their concerns.

Angel Reese has emerged as one of the most vocal figures in this rebellion. Known for her unapologetic personality and connection with fans, Reese has amplified Collier’s words to her millions of followers. In one particularly striking post, Reese wrote: “We built this league on our backs and they treat us like we’re replaceable. Nah. Not anymore.” Her influence has made it impossible for the league to brush off the movement, as younger fans rally to her side and amplify the pressure.

Meanwhile, veterans have provided a sobering perspective. Players like Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, who have spent over a decade in the league, have pointed out that these issues are not new—they’ve been festering for years. The difference now, they argue, is that the next generation of stars is unwilling to stay silent. “We stayed quiet too long,” one veteran told reporters anonymously. “Now the young ones are making noise, and we’re backing them up. This is the moment.”

Behind the scenes, the fear of a strike is not idle talk. Several sources close to the players’ union have confirmed that strike discussions are “on the table” if the league does not address demands swiftly. Those demands reportedly include increased charter travel, better scheduling transparency, and greater player input on marketing and media decisions. Some players have even called for independent oversight of officiating, which has been a lightning rod for controversy throughout the season.

The situation has left fans divided but deeply engaged. Social media platforms are flooded with hashtags like #WNBARebellion and #StandWithPlayers, while others caution that a strike could derail the progress women’s basketball has made in the past few years. “This is the risk of growth,” one analyst said. “When a league reaches a new level of attention and revenue, players expect to share in that progress. The WNBA is at that crossroads right now.”

“Her response was, ‘[Clark] should be grateful. She makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.’ And in that same conversation, she told me, ‘Players should be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.’”

In a statement, Engelbert said she has the “utmost respect” for Collier and the league’s players and said she was “disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership.”