The WNBA is currently facing a polarizing debate on the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports. Two former NBA players, Royce White and Enes Kanter Freedom, recently announced plans to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft.
With the conversation growing, NBA player Kyle Kuzma has criticized WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
Kyle Kuzma Criticizes WNBA, Cathy Engelbert Amid Trans-Athletes Debate
Kuzma argued that the WNBA has not done a great job if it has now reached a point where league officials need to discuss and define what a woman is.
“Thirty years of women fighting to get this league built, and the question on the table this week is what a woman is. Needing a committee to find that answer is a disservice to every girl who was told this league was for her,” Kuzma wrote on X.
Thirty years of women fighting to get this league built, and the question on the table this week is what a woman is. Needing a committee to find that answer is a disservice to every girl who was told this league was for her.
— kuz (@kylekuzma) August 9, 2026
The controversy started with Sophie Cunningham declaring her stance against the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports. The topic has morphed into a nationwide debate in the weeks since.
Earlier this week, White and Freedom announced their intention to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft after saying they identified as women for the purpose of playing in the league.
“I identify as sometimes-identifying as a woman for the purposes of professional basketball, so I’ll be declaring for the WNBA Draft in 2027 as well.”
“I mean, I think I’d be unstoppable. But I’m a team-first guy, a pass-first kind of player. I do the little things. I led my team in all five stat categories at Iowa State University. So I do whatever the coach needs me to do; I do whatever the girls need me to do,” White said in his declaration video.
Meanwhile, Freedom revealed that he was declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft, claiming that he met the league’s eligibility criteria.
“My team and I have carefully examined the WNBA’s eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self-identification and inclusion. Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in April 2027,” Kanter Freedom said in his declaration video on X.
The announcement also received support from Donald Trump Jr., who made the bold prediction that Freedom would break every major WNBA record within his first year.
The two declarations have put additional pressure on Engelbert and the league to clarify its position. On Friday, the commissioner announced that the eligibility criteria will be discussed at a previously scheduled meeting next week with WNBA team presidents and general managers.
“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.”
“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 said as per the Associated Press.
For now, the meeting could become a major step toward answering those questions, and whether the WNBA changes its eligibility rules remains to be seen.
