Monday, August 10, 2026 - Former NBA player Royce White has announced that he is transgender and says he plans to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft, making him the second former professional basketball player to announce plans to do so within a day
White made the announcement during a Friday interview with Fox
News. “I’m transgender,” White said. “I identify as sometimes identifying as a
woman for purposes of professional basketball, so I will be declaring for the
WNBA draft in 2027 as well.
White, who played three official NBA games for the
Sacramento Kings during the 2013-14 season, is currently a Republican candidate
for the U.S. Senate. Explaining his decision, White said: “I don’t want to be
discriminated against. I want fair treatment ... as a sometimes identifying as
a transgender woman athlete.”
His announcement came shortly after former NBA player Enes
Kanter Freedom also said he plans to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft, citing
the league’s eligibility rules. Article XIII of the WNBA’s 2026 collective
bargaining agreement states that “Only players who are women are eligible to
play in the WNBA,” although the provision does not further define the term
“women.”
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Kanter said his decision was not intended to mock or
disrespect transgender people. “I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of,
or disrespect any community or personal choices,” he said. “I’m simply asking
that the current rules be applied equally to everyone, the rules that represent
the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for.”
The debate over transgender inclusion in women’s basketball
intensified last month after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said she
wanted “to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who
shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association
subsequently addressed the controversy, saying: “We embrace justice, equity,
diversity, and inclusion. Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group
of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm.”
The union added: “We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not
be used as political pawns.”
Watch the video below……………………………..
EXCLUSIVE: Former NBA first-round pick Royce White says he's declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft, claiming he now identifies as transgender for the purpose of playing professional basketball.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 8, 2026
The 6-foot-8 former Houston Rockets draft pick follows fellow former NBA player Enes… pic.twitter.com/yUI8NdoiaX
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