With the ongoing transgender controversy in the league, WNBA journalist Jon Root thinks the league has a case of misplaced priorities. After Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from the Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky game, Root insists that there have been several instances this season that showcase the WNBA’s bias towards what he refers to as the “left-wing.”
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“Lynx HC wore a trans kids belong T-shirt. Tempo unveiled a mascot with she/they pronouns. DiJonai Carrington tried taking Sophie Cunningham’s head off. WNBA promotes divisive left-wing politics every season. But yeah, Enes Kanter in a shirt defining what a woman is, is the problem…,” said Root in an X post on August 24.
During the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky game on Monday, with 1:22 left on the clock, both Kanter-Freedom and Cloud got into a heated exchange, as Kanter was seen wearing a shirt during the game that apparently displayed the definition of a woman. Both had to be separated to prevent a physical altercation, and Kanter was ejected. But this incident is only the latest flashpoint in a season marked by player controversies.
Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a “Trans Kids belong” shirt during the first meeting of the season between Indiana and Minnesota, on August 2. This was shortly after Sophie Cunningham’s comments from her July 21 interview went viral. Root did not stop there.
The Toronto Tempo unveiled a pair of new mascots, Dez and Dot, against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, August 18. Fans quickly noticed that Dez was listed as non-binary, having “she/they” pronouns. This once again flared up this transgender debate already raging in the W.
Root sees hypocrisy: the league ejected Kanter but ignored issues that demand more immediate addresal.
Besides this transgender debate, the issue of player safety has too often come up in the league, especially for Indiana Fever players. Caitlin Clark was subject to a flagrant foul 2 by Alyssa Thomas back on June 24, after Thomas apparently put her fist to Clark’s throat while she was on the floor. DiJonai Carrington was also ejected from the game after hitting Sophie Cunningham on the neck and head in the game between the Fever and Sky on August 8.
For Root, the league would do well to address all these lingering issues rather than remaining focused on the Enes Kanter Freedom-Natasha Cloud incident.
The league, on its part, released a statement after the meeting of its “anti-hate” task force that it will continue to engage with all stakeholders on the transgender issue. However, the speculation continued as the league statement also read that no immediate matters of eligibility were affecting the WNBA.
However, some league sources have said that Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, having previously declared themselves for the 2027 WNBA draft, will be deemed ineligible for it. Root’s rant on the matter comes at a time when the issues he mentioned are overshadowing the incredible games that the W has been giving the fans. Regardless, the issue of transgender inclusion seems unlikely to conclude soon.