The commissioner is leaving

Cathy Engelbert steps down at the end of this WNBA season after seven years, with a search already underway for her replacement. Players and fans had been calling for new leadership.

Cunningham says it plainly

On The Colin Cowherd Podcast, the Indiana Fever guard agreed the league needs a different kind of leader. She wants someone bold, courageous, and willing to unify.

“you need someone who has a backbone, who is bold, who is courageous”

She wouldn't say hi

Cunningham's sharpest example wasn't a policy fight. It was that Engelbert could walk into a room full of players and not greet them.

“if we were in a room and she walked in, she wouldn't even say hi to us”

Fine at first, then overtaken

Cunningham credits Engelbert with good early business decisions. Her read is that once the league's popularity exploded, the job outgrew her.

“once we exploded, I just don't think that she was ready for it”

Start with practice facilities

On her new podcast No Hesitation, Cunningham said her first move as commissioner would be a functional practice facility for every team. Not all of them have one now.

But she doesn't want the job

Cunningham says the role would be cool but not for her, at least not now. Whoever takes it needs the character to hold their values while half the league hates them.

“There are people who are going to love you. There are people who are going to hate you.”