Minnesota Lynx star forward Napheesa Collier called out the leadership of the WNBA in her exit interview, accusing league commissioner Cathy Engelbert of being “negligent” in her position of power.

In her exit interview last Tuesday, Collier, a five-time WNBA All-Star, told the media that the league has failed to address several issues among players, including compensation, officiating and the state of the overall product, according to ESPN.

"Our leadership's answer to being held accountable is to suppress everyone's voices by handing out fines," Collier said in her statement. "I'm not concerned about a fine, I'm concerned about the future of our sport. At some point, everyone deserves to hear the truth from someone who I hope has earned the benefit of the doubt to fight for what is right and fair for our athletes and our fans."

Collier also alleged that Engelbert, who's been the league’s commissioner since 2019, said that young stars like the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark “should be on their knees” in gratitude for the platform the league has given them, ESPN reported.

Clark, along with other young stars like the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese and the Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers, all became household names at their respective colleges, also securing numerous NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals as well.

"We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world, but right now we have the worst leadership in the world. If I didn't know exactly what the job entailed, maybe I wouldn't feel this way, but unfortunately for them, I do. We serve a league that has shown they think championship coaches and Hall of Fame players are dispensable, and that's fine,” Collier said. It's professional sports, but I will not stand quietly by and allow different standards to be applied at the league level,” she added.

In response to Collier’s fiery statement, Engelbert said that even though she has the “utmost respect” for Collier, she was “disheartened” with her comments on current league affairs between its players and its leadership, ESPN reported.

"My focus remains on ensuring a bright future for the players and the WNBA, including collaborating on how we continue to elevate the game," Engelbert’s statement read, released Tuesday. "I am disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership, but even when our perspectives differ, my commitment to the players and to this work will not waver."

This comes as the players’ union, the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), is gearing up to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the league owners this offseason, as many believe that the league might enter a lockout if both sides don't agree to a new CBA.

During a news conference last Friday, Engelbert said that there were a lot of “inaccuracies” in what Collier said in her exit interview statement, adding that she highly respects the league’s players.

"[Players] are at the center of everything we do," Engelbert said at the news conference. "I was disheartened to hear that some players feel the league and me personally don't care about them or listen to them. If the players in the 'W' don't feel appreciated and valued by the league, then we have to do better, and I have to do better."

"I feel confident that we can repair any loss of trust. ... I will do everything I can to change that,” she added. “No one should ever doubt how deeply I care about this league, this game and every single player who makes up what the WNBA is."