While from the outside it may seem otherwise, the WNBA is holding steadfast amid the ongoing debate over transgender athletes, saying there are “no immediate eligibility matters” regarding the league.
This comes after weeks of debate over the possibility of transgender athletes — biological males — joining the women’s-only league, as well as at least two former NBA players declaring for the 2027 draft.
The league’s team presidents and general managers met Wednesday to discuss the transgender athlete issue, which has spread like wildfire since Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham’s comments last month.
In a statement released to the New York Post, the WNBA also denounced “bad-faith efforts” to “marginalize others.”
What did the WNBA say about trans athletes?
“Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online,” a league spokesperson said in a statement to the outlet. “We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league.
“There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others.”
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed the issue in a statement to teams last week after former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White declared their intent to enter the 2027 WNBA draft.
However, the memo didn’t exactly stamp out the issue, instead calling it a “complex and nuanced topic” while adding that conversations over potential rule changes will be ongoing.
“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,” Engelbert said in the memo, which was sent Friday afternoon and obtained by ESPN. “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.”
Engelbert added that the issue of player eligibility is part of collective bargaining with the league’s players union, the WNBPA.
“Our player eligibility rules, unlike the eligibility rules of some other leagues and governing bodies, are collectively bargained,” the memo said, adding that “preserving the integrity of our game and ensuring fair competition will always remain among the league’s highest priorities.”
What is the WNBA’s official policy on trans players?
The WNBA’s latest collective bargaining agreement, which was signed in March, states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.”
However, according to ESPN, there is no further definition of a woman or any publicly available policy governing transgender or intersex athlete eligibility.
On Friday, Freedom and White both declaring themselves eligible for the WNBA draft while saying that they identify as women.
Both players have been active on social media, with Freedom posting video of himself working out shirtless on Tuesday with the caption “Let ‘The Transition’ to the WNBA begin. Rules Are Rules!”
Meanwhile, White has posted several photos of himself wearing a wig on his X account and has conducted several interviews with conservative influencers over the past few days.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association released its own statement on social media, hitting back and saying that it will not be used as a “political pawn.”
“We embrace justice equity, diversity, and inclusion,” the players’ union said. “Those are the values that unite this Union and allow it to protect women’s sports while creating transformational change.
“Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division and harm. We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns.”