Two former NBA players have claimed to be transgender and announced plans to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft in an apparent effort to troll both the league and the transgender community.
Royce White, who recently lost the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, has claimed to be transgender and argued that he should be allowed to play in the WNBA, according to Fox News. White was also the Republican nominee who challenged Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar in 2024.
Presenting himself as a legitimate WNBA prospect, White claimed he is “sometimes identifying as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball” and announced his intention to enter the 2027 draft next April.
“I think I’d be unstoppable,” he said. “But I’m a team-first guy. I’m a pass-first kind of player. I do the little things. I led my team in all five major stat categories at Iowa State University, so I do a little bit of everything. I’ll do whatever the coach needs me to do. I’ll do whatever the girls need me to do…I think it’s only fair.”
White also said the WNBA could end his challenge by issuing a definitive statement that people assigned male at birth are prohibited from playing in the league and in women’s sports generally.
Asked whether he would still proceed if the league did not issue such a statement, White replied: “Oh, no, I’m declaring. And I don’t want to be discriminated against. I want fair treatment.”
White also suggested he would sue if he goes undrafted and no team signs him.
White’s announcement followed a similar one from former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom. On August 10, Freedom posted a video on X showing him signing a document asking the WNBA to accept his “decision to enter the player pool for the 2027 WNBA Draft,” according to the New York Post.
In the video, Freedom wore a shirt reading: “Invest in women. Pay women. Hire women.” The slogan was popularized by women’s sports advocate Kelsey Trainor as part of her campaign for better compensation for female athletes and greater investment in women’s sports leagues.
In an August 7 social media post, Freedom said he had reviewed the WNBA’s eligibility guidelines and its approach to self-identification and inclusion and determined that he met those criteria. He claimed he was “not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices.”
“I’m simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone — the rules that represent the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for,” he wrote. “My team and I are prepared to ensure these guidelines are applied equally, consistently, and without exception, and I look forward to the #WNBA honoring its stated principles.”
Article XIII of the WNBA’s 2026 collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” However, the agreement neither defines the term “woman” nor establishes an eligibility policy for transgender or intersex players. It also does not state that self-identification as a “woman” is sufficient to establish eligibility.
Just before Freedom and White made their announcements, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent teams a memo about ongoing discussions concerning transgender athletes in women’s basketball. Engelbert said a task force of team presidents and general managers would discuss the issue at a meeting, which took place on Wednesday.
Engelbert’s memo came in response to comments by Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham that were published by ESPN last month. Cunningham called for barring transgender women and girls from female-designated sports teams. Her comments prompted small rallies and protests in cities where the Fever played road games, according to The Associated Press. Other WNBA players and coaches, including Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, have opposed explicit bans on transgender athletes.
Engelbert also said the league plans to hold additional discussions and listening sessions about eligibility. She noted that the WNBA’s eligibility rules are determined through collective bargaining between the league and the WNBA Players Association.
It is unclear whether adding a ban on transgender athletes would require the league and union to reopen their existing collective bargaining agreement.
