The WNBA’s ongoing debate over transgender eligibility continues to draw in prominent voices from outside the league.
Former Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson called ex-NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White’s declarations for the 2027 WNBA Draft “[expletive] weird,” adding to a growing list of former players who’ve publicly pushed back on the two.
White didn’t let the comment slide, responding to Lawson’s statement with a sharply worded accusation of his own.
Royce White Claps Back at Ty Lawson Over WNBA Draft Criticism
The controversy traces back to July 21, when Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham told ESPN that she wants to “protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Her remarks set off weeks of public debate and rallies on both sides of the issue, and in the midst of it, two former NBA players entered the conversation: Kanter Freedom and White.
White, a former Houston Rockets first-round pick and ex-Minnesota Republican Senate candidate, told Fox News/OutKick that he identifies as transgender “for purposes of professional basketball” and intends to declare for the next WNBA draft. This drew criticism from one of his peers, Lawson.
Lawson, who played eight seasons in the NBA, including six with the Nuggets, reacted to White’s and Kanter Freedom’s polarizing moves earlier this week, writing, “These ex-NBA players declaring that they’re women and trying to get in the 2027 draft is [expletive] weird!!!!”
On Thursday, White responded directly, calling out Lawson on X.
“Ty, that’s Trans hate and genocide. Protect Black trans lesbian women!” White wrote.
Ty, that’s Trans hate and genocide. Protect Black trans lesbian women! https://t.co/KQoWA4dXG1
Royce White 🇺🇸 (@Highway_30) August 13, 2026
The exchange is the latest in a string of public disputes White has had with critics since declaring for the draft. Before Lawson, White had a back-and-forth with former NBA center Robin Lopez, who wrote on X that he couldn’t imagine “anybody wants Enes Kanter or Royce White around them for even 4 minutes.”
As of now, neither Kanter Freedom nor White has been added to a WNBA draft pool. The league’s task force said only that “there are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA,” a statement that addressed the situation without confirming or ruling out any future changes.
However, the broader debate over Cunningham’s original comments and how the WNBA should handle the transgender eligibility question generally remains unresolved.
