(Reuters) - WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said on Friday the league "has to do better" to make players feel valued after sharp criticism from Minnesota Lynx's Napheesa Collier, while vowing to repair trust as the deadline for contentious collective bargaining talks looms.
Collier, a five-time All-Star and vice president of the players' union, voiced her criticism after a controversial no-call in the final minute of the Lynx's Game 3 semi-final against Phoenix Mercury, accusing the league of a "tone-deaf, dismissive" approach to player concerns.
"If the players don't feel appreciated and valued by the league, then we have to do better," Engelbert told reporters ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and the Mercury.
"We know how great these players are on and off the court, how much they mean to our league, our fans, and our communities. If they don't feel that, I will do everything I can to change that."
Engelbert said she and Collier were set to meet next week, but disputed some of Collier's characterisations, including claims she told players they should be "on their knees thanking their lucky stars" for the league's media rights deal.
"There's a lot of inaccuracy out there … I highly respect the players," Engelbert said. "There's a lot of emotion and passion right now because we’re in collective bargaining."
The dispute comes at a pivotal moment for the 29-year-old league, with its collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Oct. 31 and negotiations with the players' association growing increasingly acrimonious.
Players are pushing for higher salaries and benefits amid rising interest fuelled by new television contracts and emerging stars such as Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark.
Engelbert said the league wanted "significant" increases in player salaries and benefits but also needed to ensure long-term financial growth.
"We will continue to negotiate in good faith until we get a transformative deal done," she said, adding she hoped to meet the deadline but an extension remained possible.
Collier, who helped launch the off-season 3x3 league Unrivaled to boost player pay, has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the league's direction.
Her comments drew support from Clark who warned the WNBA risks losing momentum without structural change.
Engelbert said the league is creating a "state of the game" committee for players and other stakeholders to weigh in on officiating and player safety.
"It's pretty clear we're misaligned on what our stakeholders want from officiating," she said. "There are no greater stakeholders than our players, and we look forward to including their perspectives on how our staff can better serve the game moving forward."
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City)
