Stephen Curry Calls for Focus on Basketball as WNBA Prepares for Leadership Transition

NBA superstar and women’s sports investor Stephen Curry has urged the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) to keep its focus squarely on basketball amid the upcoming leadership change. Speaking at his annual youth golf event, the Curry Cup, held at Bethpage Black Golf Course, Curry expressed concern that cultural and political issues have sometimes overshadowed the league and its players.

Curry praised the WNBA’s recent growth, highlighting record attendance and television ratings. “Let’s celebrate these amazing women who are great ambassadors of the game, and let’s focus on the product,” he told CNBC in a September 2026 interview. He emphasised that the next commissioner should prioritise keeping conversations about the league centred on basketball and its players.

The WNBA is preparing for a major leadership transition following Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s announcement in early September 2026 that she will retire at the end of the year. Engelbert’s seven-year tenure has been marked by unprecedented growth for the league, including significant increases in viewership, game attendance, franchise valuations and sponsorship revenue.

Under Engelbert’s leadership, the WNBA expanded its franchise base from 12 to a planned 18 teams by 2030. She also helped negotiate transformative collective bargaining agreements, culminating in the first million-dollar player salaries, and secured a lucrative media rights deal. Additionally, Engelbert introduced innovations such as the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup and an airline charter programme for teams and players.

Curry, who has invested in the women’s 3-on-3 league Unrivaled, has also been active in recruiting women players for his Curry Brand, holding talks with stars like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. While he did not publicly endorse any candidate to replace Engelbert, he stressed that focusing on the league’s basketball product should be a priority for new leadership.

As the WNBA looks ahead to its next chapter, Curry’s message underscores the importance of celebrating the talent and dedication of the women on the court, ensuring that basketball remains at the heart of the league’s story.