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Renee Montgomery has a holistic understanding of the business of the WNBA. She played 11 seasons, and worked on the WNBPA’s executive committee before joining the Dream ownership group that purchased the team in 2021.
Her knowledge has led her to caution anyone clamoring to become the league’s next commissioner.
Speaking to Front Office Sports ahead of the WNBA Finals, the former WNBA All-Star compared the role of the league’s commissioner to a referee’s.
“Somebody is always going to be mad,” Montgomery said. “It’s not a job that gives you love back.”
Montgomery, who is fresh off covering the WNBA Finals as an analyst for USA Network, said she has friends who are candidates to be the next commissioner, and is questioning their desire: “Knowing that some of my homies are up to be commissioner, it’s like, ‘Gosh, are you sure? Like, do you wanna do this? Are you sure you wanna enter that? Because it’s no joke.’”
The WNBA is in the process of searching for its next commissioner as Cathy Engelbert is set to retire at the end of this year after seven years at the helm. The league has already hired a search firm to find her successor, and Engelbert said she has already submitted possible candidates for the role to the firm.
While Montgomery didn’t reveal which of her friends are in the running, her fellow UConn Huskie Swin Cash, who is part of the WNBA’s investor group, is one of the reported candidates.
The league achieved significant milestones under Engelbert’s tenure, including record-high attendance and viewership, a $3 billion-plus media rights deal, and a transformative collective bargaining agreement. The league also added six expansion teams, with three more coming until 2030.
But Engelbert faced significant criticism throughout the past few years, with players saying she has not built personal relationships with some of the league’s brightest stars, including Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson. The league has also been embroiled in culture wars that have led to hate and vitriol spewed at the players.
Montgomery highlighted the many characteristics she feels the next commissioner must have, with a particular focus on communication.
“You need to have tentacles connected everywhere,” Montgomery said. “You need to be connected to the players. You need to be surely connected to the ownership group. You need to be connected to the NBA. You need to be connected to what’s going on in the media. You need to be able to speak to the media. You need to be present even when it’s good and even when it’s bad. It takes a lot and it takes a certain type of person to be able to do that job.
“Whoever our next commissioner is, they’re going to have to be able to be a high-level communicator and a high-level connector because this job requires that.”
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