The drama surrounding Sophie Cunningham‘s comments regarding transgender athletes and their participation in women’s sports continues to live on. Two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, identified themselves as women, thus declaring themselves eligible for the 2027 WNBA draft. White has faced backlash in light of his declaration and has recently addressed the issue on live television, saying that he is even enjoying the current situation when asked why they were getting involved in the first place.
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“Right now I’m just having a blast in my feminine era,” White said while speaking during a live, national television interview on the Fox News program Fox & Friends Weekend on Sunday.
“I never thought that I was a woman. You know, I’ve always shrugged at the science. I thought I was a man my entire life. After further review, a strong look at my personal preferences, it would appear that I am indeed sometimes identifying as a transgender woman, and I think it’s only fair I get a chance to play with some of my queens in the twilight of my career, my athletic prime.”
Royce White’s controversial decision to declare for the WNBA has come under scrutiny from across sports, including backlash from former NBA player Robin Lopez and former NFL wide receiver Dez Bryant. White’s declaration has come at a crucial time for the WNBA. According to a memo obtained by the Associated Press, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has recently announced the plan of action.
“I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball, and I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention.”
“I wanted to reach out to share how we are approaching these conversations at the league office and to thank those of you who have responded to questions from the media with thoughtfulness and professionalism.”
Unlike other major leagues in the US, the player eligibility in the WNBA is determined through collective bargaining and not league rules or governing laws, something that Engelbert has apparently also acknowledged in her memo.
“First, we will always approach this topic thoughtfully, respectfully, and in alignment with the longstanding values of our league.”
“Second, our player eligibility rules, unlike the eligibility rules of some other leagues and governing bodies, are collectively bargained. Lastly, preserving the integrity of our game and ensuring fair competition will always remain among the league’s highest priorities,” she added.
The league’s current collective bargaining agreement mentions that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” However, there is no specific mention of gender identity or gender assigned at birth, thus leading to this ambiguity.
An August 10 report by USA Today has mentioned that Cathy Engelbert and representatives from all the teams will meet this week as part of the league’s “anti-hate task force” and will discuss several issues, including transgender athletes in women’s basketball.
Meanwhile, before Royce White declared for the draft, Enes Freedom had also announced his intention to enter the 2027 WNBA draft in a social media post.
The outcome of this meeting between players, the WNBPA, and Engelbert will determine how this controversial issue progresses.