Caitlin Clark’s agency handed key role in search for next WNBA commissioner

The WNBA’s search for a new commissioner is ongoing.

With Commissioner Cathy Engelbert retiring at the end of December, the search for the WNBA’s next chief executive is officially underway, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver holding final approval.

A wide net of potential successors is already floating across league circles. Early buzz spans internal team executives like Keia Clarke and Jess Smith, collegiate sports leaders like Duke AD Nina King, and former WNBA stars Swin Cash and Nneka Ogwumike, as well as Michelle Obama.

However, we are no closer to an appointment at this moment in time.

Caitlin Clark agency to kick off WNBA commissioner search

According to the Sports Business Journal, the NBA has hired Excel Search & Advisory to lead the hunt for the next WNBA commissioner as Cathy Engelbert prepares to retire.

Bringing in the agency, which represents Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and other stars like DiJonai Carrington, signals a push to find a leader capable of guiding the league’s next era of explosive growth.

Excel already boasts strong WNBA ties at club level too, having brokered jersey patch deals for the Dream, Sparks, and Wings.

And while there’s no timeline for naming Cathy Engelbert’s successor, the NBA is expected to lock in a hire before her departure. Both the WNBA and NBA Board of Governors will weigh in, with a crucial step given the NBA’s 80% ownership stake as three new expansion teams arrive by 2030.

It’ll be interesting to see who the new commissioner ends up being, as there has been a lot of criticism for Cathy Engelbert when it comes to Caitlin Clark in particular.

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