The ongoing debate surrounding transgender eligibility in the WNBA has now been touched upon by NBA legend Charles Barkley, with former U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz further backing ex-NBA player Royce White’s polarizing WNBA Draft bid.
As political figures turn the league into a battleground, Barkley called on the league’s leadership to shut down the distraction immediately.
Matt Gaetz Publicly Backs Royce White’s Controversial WNBA Draft Bid As Charles Barkley Weighs In
Following Sophie Cunningham’s comments about keeping biological men out of women’s sports, former NBA players Enes Kanter and White added fuel to the fire by declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft.
They wanted to shed light on and exploit a loophole in the league’s collective bargaining agreement, which lacks a biological definition of “woman.” White declared under the self-identified label of a “Black trans lesbian.”
As the stunt gained momentum, several known personalities chimed in with their views. Most recently, Barkley, an 11-time NBA All-Star, voiced his deep frustration during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “The Michael Smerconish Program.”
While Barkley made a point to emphasize his long-standing support for the LGBTQ+ community, he firmly drew the line at men competing in women’s athletics, stating, “Under no circumstances do I think men should play against women. Zero.”
Barkley placed the blame on NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for failing to step up and stop the online circus. He argued that league leadership should have shut down the speculation weeks ago rather than turning the story over to “every fool” on the internet.
Urging them to set an immediate boundary, Barkley insisted leadership needs to state clearly:
“The WNBA is for women only, period. And we’re not going to discuss it again.”
🚨The WNBA is FACING A MASSIVE BACKLASH for failing to protect women from men in their sports, even being called out by Charles Barkley.
“I’m disappointed… If you don’t like it, kick rocks… The WNBA is for women only. Period.”
Let’s go, Charles! pic.twitter.com/OlegtYwfOg
— Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) August 25, 2026
Barkley’s comments drew a direct response from Gaetz, who shared the video clip of the analyst on X to push White’s campaign back into the spotlight. Referencing Barkley’s famous basketball nickname, Gaetz wrote:
“The Round Mound of Rebound wants the @WNBA to define what a woman is. Royce White forced the NBA to confront mental health. She is now in a position to change the WNBA forever. Royce White is my favorite Black lesbian.”
The Round Mound of Rebound wants the @WNBA to define what a woman is.
Royce White (@Highway_30) forced the NBA to confront mental health.
She is now in a position to change the WNBA forever.
Royce White is my favorite black lesbian. https://t.co/SFM0Q3f4V4
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) August 26, 2026
Gaetz, serving as White’s legal counsel, knows firsthand how his client can force a league’s hand. Back in 2012, White’s high-profile standoff with the Houston Rockets over his anxiety disorder was one of the earliest prominent cases to put athlete mental health in the spotlight, paving the way for the NBA to institute its first league-wide mental health program in 2018.
The expectation now is that, despite the viral circus, mounting pressure from White and other prominent critics will finally compel the WNBA to address its own policy gaps.
