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The WNBA has continued to grow during what has been an exciting 2026 season. Unfortunately, drama off the court has plagued the W throughout the league’s 30th season. Now that drama is reaching a fever pitch as the topic of transgender athletes has taken center stage.
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Former NBA player Royce White blasted the league in a recent interview while wearing a new wig.
“It better,” White said about the possibility of joining the W on Free People Radio, via Eric Daugherty. “Why wouldn’t they let me play? It’s completely, completely bigoted to deny my trans existence.”
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White and fellow ex-NBA player Enes Kanter recently declared for next year’s WNBA draft. However, WNBA reporter Khristina Williams reported that the W is not taking those declarations seriously. In fact, one source called them attempts to “sow division and chaos by ‘bad-faith actors.'”
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White also explained during the interview that their NBA career ended early because of a fear of flying stemming from their transgender identity.
“I realized my fear of flying really wasn’t a fear of flying. It was the transgender trapped inside of me, caged inside of me, that gave me an aversion to small spaces,” White added.
As for the WNBA, the league has created an Anti-Hate Task Force to address multiple topics, including transgender athletes.
Several WNBA players and figures have also weighed in on the topic over the past few weeks. They include Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, Valkyries forward Gabby Williams, and Storm center Stephanie Dolson.
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All of this comes on the backdrop of WNBA players receiving online abuse on social media. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has harshly condemned this online harassment alongside WNBA coaches like Indiana’s Stephanie White.
At this point, it is still unclear what the future holds for White’s push to join the WNBA.
Related: Rapper Saucy Santana weighs in on transgender athletes competing in WNBA debate
Related: WNBA releases statement after Anti-Hate Task Force meeting
