Former NBA player Royce White is seeking legal options against the WNBA after Commissioner Cathy Engelbert informed Congress that White and Enes Kanter Freedom are ineligible to participate due to being men. White expressed dissatisfaction with Engelbert’s reply, urging the WNBA to detail its definitions of male and female.
“We plan to explore every legal avenue possible to hold the WNBA and NBA community to their stated standards and values,”
White stated to OutKick. White recently asserted his intention to enter the next WNBA draft following Freedom’s announcement.
Asked about whether Engelbert’s letter had triggered a previously discussed discrimination lawsuit, White refrained from discussing specifics. He has not declared any legal filing or timeline for such actions.
Dispute on WNBA Eligibility
The core issue is rooted in White’s and Freedom’s plans to enter the 2027 WNBA draft, alleging their identification as women. During an interview, White confirmed that his assertion was “for basketball purposes.” In an October 16 letter to Republican legislators, Engelbert firmly stated the league’s stance: “only women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” referring to White and Freedom as men.
This response emerged after inquiries from Rep. Marlin Stutzman and other Republican legislators who sought clarity on how the WNBA defines “women” in its collective bargaining agreement and the reasons for deeming White and Freedom ineligible. The agreement, as reported by Front Office Sports in August, specifies eligibility for women players but lacks language on gender identity or birth-assigned sex.
Engelbert’s letter did not provide any definition of “women” nor did it clarify the criteria classifying White and Freedom as men.
Continued Advocacy
White asserts that defining gender distinctions remains critical.
“No, we’re not letting them off that easy,”
he emphasized, requiring Engelbert and the WNBA to define and justify distinctions between men and women.
White also called for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to comment on the matter.
“I’d like Adam Silver and the NBA to weigh in,”
he noted. The league had already ruled out the eligibility of White and Freedom as conveyed by league sources earlier.
White, who declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft, sees himself as an advocate for women’s basketball, citing influences from female relatives and local players during his upbringing.
In collaboration with Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, White discussed the significance of safeguarding biological girls and women in sports.
White described himself as a WNBA enthusiast, acknowledging the progress made by female athletes.
“I’m a fan of the WNBA. I think the women have come a long way,”
he said. White wishes to see less politicization in the sport to preserve its essence.
White has been viewing the WNBA Finals and plans to attend some games, though he did not reveal which ones due to safety considerations.
Jackson Thompson contributes to Fox News Digital’s sports reporting, focusing on political and cultural aspects in sports through investigative efforts. His work has been referenced in Title IX federal actions and major media like The New York Times and ESPN.com.