NBA East power shift and WNBA All-Star weekend spotlight commissioner uncertainty

NBA Eastern Conference WNBA All-Star Cathy Engelbert New York Knicks Chicago

Analysts note that the NBA Eastern Conference has become highly competitive again, with the New York Knicks returning as league leaders and the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons all fielding strong rosters. This marks a reversal from recent years when the Western Conference dominated the championship race.

The WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago was marked by tension over the future of commissioner Cathy Engelbert. While the league’s business has thrived—highlighted by a 16% ownership stake sale in 2022—players such as A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark expressed limited personal connection with Engelbert, raising questions about her tenure beyond 2027.

Entities: Cathy Engelbert · Chicago · LeBron James · New York Knicks · Women's National Basketball Association

Sources

How many beasts in NBA’s East? Plus: Trouble in Belichick’s UNC program [www.nytimes.com]

4 days ago

All-Star Weekend rocked … for almost everyone. Plus: Cathy Engelbert out in 2027? [www.nytimes.com]

3 days ago