Despite the absence of any trans athletes in the WNBA, it has once again become the focus of conversation, largely due to the recent comments about trans athletes by Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever.
Now, several other public figures are weighing in, consequently amplifying the controversy and increasing its prominence within public discourse beyond its current relevance to the league.
Yankees’ Minority Owner Has Conspiracy Theory Over Sophie Cunningham, Trans Athletes in the WNBA
Many have taken Cunningham’s side, defending her take and holding rallies in support of her. However, others have called her out for creating division in the WNBA. That has led to wild speculation about trans athletes and the league.
Yankees’ minority owner Patrick Bet-David has his own conspiracy theory when it comes to the trans athletes and the WNBA. Bet-David believes the WNBA should use a genetic test via a cheek swab, saliva, or blood to determine eligibility.
However, he thinks this could reveal players who should not be eligible for the league.
“The WNBA may be hesitant because such a policy could reveal that players who would not meet the new eligibility standard have previously competed in the league,” Bet-David explained. “Meaning, they could have current players that were born a man that are currently in the league.”
With this sort of testing, Bet-David also said he “wouldn’t be surprised to see players quit or turn the issue into a broader protest potentially creating a rallying cry similar to what Colin Kaepernick became in the NFL.”
That isn’t the only potential issue, according to the businessman.
“There’s another risk,” Bet-David wrote. “Once the league opens this door, whistleblowers could emerge with information that raises questions about how eligibility has been handled in the past.”
Bet-David believes the longer this goes on, the more people will question the league, and he called for the WNBA to “defend the W.”
My speculation about the WNBA:
I’m increasingly convinced the WNBA is hiding something from its fans.
Why is it so difficult to adopt a policy similar to the WTA’s, requiring players to undergo a one time genetic test to determine eligibility for the women’s category?
The test…
— Patrick Bet-David (@patrickbetdavid) August 10, 2026
It’s understandable that this is a hot-button issue, but there have previously been no controversies about men playing in the league, and there is no evidence that any are playing right now.
A recent trend has also emerged among former NBA players who claim they will play in the WNBA, led by Enes Kanter and Royce White.
It also caused anti-trans former swimmer Riley Gaines to attack the league, specifically DiJonai Carrington, who was ejected for a hard first-quarter flagrant 2 on Cunningham in the first quarter of the Fever’s 90-86 win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
Gaines, of course, famously has argued against trans athletes since she finished tied for fifth with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200-yard freestyle at the NCAA championships in 2022. Gaines believes she should have been in fifth place alone.
Although there are currently no trans players in the WNBA, the issue of trans athlete participation has emerged as a highly politicized topic in our national political discourse.
As leading figures continue to add their perspectives, the league encounters growing public scrutiny that may overshadow on-court achievements and improvements in its competitive quality. This illustrates the relationship between performance, media coverage, and social debates, prompting crucial questions about how external controversies can affect the perception and the trajectory of women’s professional sports, specifically in the WNBA.
