NBA commissioner Adam Silver said interest in the WNBA's vacant commissioner role has surged since Cathy Engelbert announced her retirement earlier this month. Formal interviews have not yet begun, though calls about the opening continue to be received by the NBA.

"I can tell by the calls I'm getting how much more attractive this job is and will be in 2027 than it was in 2019," said Silver.

The hiring process will formally begin once the league selects a search firm, a step currently underway. Because the NBA holds a controlling ownership stake in the WNBA, Silver will make the final hire alongside the WNBA Board of Governors.

"We're at the stage of this league where understandably there was going to be some tension around collective bargaining," Silver said. "Now that we have a long-term agreement in place, we need somebody who is going to help unify the players with the players and the players with ownership. I see that opportunity."

Silver named Engelbert as the WNBA's first commissioner in 2019, a title change from president that he called more than symbolic. Her contract expires at the end of the year, and she is not expected to remain into 2027 to assist with a leadership transition, according to a source familiar with her contract.

Engelbert's seven-year tenure included significant league expansion, with the WNBA set to reach 18 teams by 2030, along with two major collective bargaining agreements. She also faced criticism over relationship management and a largely reactive approach to off-court controversies, including online harassment of players.

Silver indicated the next commissioner will share authority with the NBA, similar to Engelbert's arrangement. He said matters directly tied to WNBA operations, including labor talks and rule changes, should remain under the commissioner's direct control, while he continues to oversee the broader organization.