WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has a hard job. Here's how to make it easier | Jordan Robinson

Engelbert helped vault the league to new financial heights, but still draws the ire of stakeholders. A co-commissioner for player relations would be a welcome add

• Sign up to get the WNBA 30 newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday

Being the WNBA's commissioner may be one of the most unwanted jobs in the world right now. That's in no small part because Cathy Engelbert, the person who holds that title, makes it look like a rough ride. She has helped usher the league into new financial heights and unprecedented popularity, but her players continue to bash her in the public sphere.

The job is not an easy one, and by many measures Engelbert has done it well, but today I want to talk about what I would do in her shoes. That means starting with how we got here.