The league is launching task-force meetings and “listening sessions” as two former NBA players demand to know whether its women-only eligibility rule is based on sex or self-identification.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has rushed out a memo to teams nationwide on Friday after former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White declared themselves eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft by identifying as women.
In the memo, obtained by the Associated Press, Engelbert tried to walk a tightrope, admitting the issue of transgender (biological male) participation will keep drawing “significant attention” while labeling it a “complex and nuanced topic.”
Engelbert wrote that the league will “always approach this topic thoughtfully, respectfully, and in alignment with the longstanding values of our league.”
She noted that player eligibility rules are collectively bargained and that “preserving the integrity of our game and ensuring fair competition will always remain among the league’s highest priorities.”
A task force of team presidents and general managers is set to discuss it further at a meeting next week, with more “listening sessions” planned.
The league’s collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” It offers no further definition of “women,” no clear language on sex assigned at birth or gender identity, and no public detailed policy on transgender eligibility. That ambiguity is exactly what Freedom and White are exposing.
As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, the 6-foot-10 Freedom announced Friday that he was declaring himself a WNBA prospect after reviewing what he described as the league’s eligibility framework.
“If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA,” Freedom said.
He insisted that he was not attempting to disrespect transgender people, arguing instead that the league’s rules should be applied “equally, consistently, and without exception.”
Hours later, former NBA first-round pick Royce White announced a similar challenge. White said he plans to enter the 2027 draft unless the league makes a “definitive statement” that people born male cannot participate.
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