WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced on September 4, 2026 that she will retire at the end of the year after seven years leading the league. In October, draft hopeful Innis Cantor Freedom said Engelbert convened a task force on what a woman is and stepped down within a week of his video. Days later, Engelbert declared Freedom and Royce White ineligible for the draft, saying both are men. Reports now say she is stepping down within weeks and the league is hiring a new commissioner, while Dan Patrick says she agreed to an interview and never showed. The league has not addressed the task force claim.