Loosely written eligibility rules aren't just a talking point. Why Stephen A. Smith Says The Players Association Can't Sit This One OutSmith's sharpest point may be the one that gets the least attention. Eligibility rules in the WNBA aren't something Commissioner Cathy Engelbert can simply rewrite on her own. They're collectively bargained, which means the Women's National Basketball Players Association has to be part of any fix. "This is also an issue involving the WNBA Players Association, not simply a unilateral decision for the commissioner."