WNBA denounces ‘bad-faith efforts’ in statement addressing Enes Kanter, Royce White draft declarations originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
As the WNBA has been under the spotlight regarding a handful of controversies recently, league representatives met to discuss how to move forward.
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The WNBA’s anti-hate task force met on Wednesday amid the league facing questions about transgender athletes while its players have been subject to online vitriol. The league has always tried to promote inclusivity, but this season has had its fair share of questionable moments.
Therefore, it’s important that the league makes sure everyone is on the same page entering the home stretch of the season. Here’s what the league’s anti-hate task force had to say.
MORE: What WNBA rulebook says about Enes Kanter Freedom’s eligibility
WNBA statement
The WNBA released a statement on Wednesday explaining that the league’s anti-hate task force met and discussed recent events.
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The discussions appeared to centre on both the eligibility of transgender athletes in the league and online vitriol directed toward players. The statement also denounced “bad-faith efforts” to use these topics against the league’s efforts to promote inclusivity.
Here’s the full statement:
MORE:Why Sophie Cunningham doubled down on transgender athlete stance
What prompted WNBA statement?
The WNBA has been at the center of a firestorm of controversy recently that has extended beyond on-court play. Most recently, former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White have put forth their efforts to enter the WNBA draft, arguing that the league’s rules towards transgender athletes make them eligible to play.
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Additionally, WNBA players are consistently facing online pushback towards their on-court play or off-court opinions from both passionate and casual fans. Therefore, the league felt the need to meet to discuss how to move forward.
MORE:What to know about WNBA transgender rallies, protests
What is the WNBA’s anti-hate task force
In 2025, the WNBA announced the No Space for Hate” as it aims to fight hate both on and off the court. That included creating a task force comprised of “league and team representatives” with support from the players association.
“As the WNBA continues to grow in popularity and influence, we’re proud to launch ‘No Space for Hate’ — a league-wide initiative to better protect players, preserve the spirit of the game, and affirm the values of our league,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said last year. “We believe that basketball can be a unifying force — a place where people from all walks of life come together not just to watch a game, but to connect,”
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What are the WNBA rules about men playing in league
The WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” clearly stating that men are not eligible to play in the league. It doesn’t have a specific article addressing the eligibility of transgender athletes, which is pretty standard among women’s leagues in North America.
