WNBA misses mark with lack of answers on Breanna Stewart's ambassador role

ESPN hits it right on the mark with this piece:

"This was certainly a surprise to me, this organization and our peers," Atlanta Dream coach Nicki Collen said, echoing what several others in the league told ESPN.com. "While it has the foundation to be a good program, it shouldn't be unveiled without input from the teams and/or the Board of Governors."

And that's the problem. Too few details have been shared by the WNBA, in part because the exact nature of Stewart's work for the league still hasn't been determined. In fact, the league has yet to make a formal announcement about Stewart being an ambassador.......

"The WNBA should have made an announcement when they decided to go forward with this," said Ticha Penicheiro, a longtime WNBA veteran who is now a player agent. "And they didn't, so there was more room for speculation. People are going to poke at it because it seems like it's a little unfair to other teams and players. Until the league gives more explanation, we all are just guessing. We're happy for Stewie, but if they'd made an announcement right way, it probably would have prevented a lot of questions."......

As for why Stewart is now going to be making a bigger base salary while not playing than she would have if she played, Tatum said, "This is the going price to have a league marketing agreement with the reigning MVP of the WNBA."

But what is that based on, especially since her role hasn't been fully defined?

"It was in conversation with her agent," Tatum said. "The roles and responsibilities are very different here with what we're asking her to do, being a representative and an engaged partner in promoting the league and being dedicated to that in a time when she's not playing. That's what we're paying her for."

Why can't the league be more transparent? About anything.