This article was written by Clay Travis and published on <a href="https://sportandstate.com/">Sport &amp; State</a>, a new media company founded by Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.
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Lost amid all the controversy surrounding Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, two former NBA players who have declared themselves eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft in April, is a complicating factor that may explain why the WNBA, while attempting to leak that Freedom and White are not eligible for the draft, hasn’t actually told us what a woman is for purposes of the league’s eligibility rules. The WNBA has allowed a woman who identifies as a man to play in the league and said she is eligible to play even though she now says she’s a he.
Meet Layshia Clarendon.
Clarendon played 11 seasons in the WNBA and remained eligible despite having top surgery — the removal of her breasts — and other so-called gender reassignment treatments in 2021. She retired from the WNBA in 2024.
In January of 2021, Clarendon <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKpAwB5hYC8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted on social media</a>, “It’s hard to put into words the feeling of seeing my chest for the first time free of breasts, seeing my chest the way I’ve always seen it, and feeling a sense of gender euphoria as opposed to gender dysphoria. Sighhh…freedom…freedom at last.”
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WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated publicly at this time of Clarendon’s surgery: “We are so proud that Layshia is part of the WNBA and we know that their (Layshia uses they/them pronouns) voice and continued advocacy will not only support and help honor and uplift many other non-binary and trans people, but also encourage empathy and understanding for the community across all levels of sport.” The owner of the New York Liberty, Clarendon’s team at the time, Joseph Tsai, also said Layshia is “a proud embodiment of our belief that our strength lies in our truth and no one should live constrained by societal boundaries.”
Layshia has written, “Existing outside the binary for me is freedom. I’ve learned that my gender doesn’t fit into these molds that keep trying to hold it down and box it in. I know that my gender will keep evolving because we change and grow and shape shift and expand. I know that as Andrea Gibson says, my pronouns haven’t even been invented yet. I know that we all have masculinity and femininity inside of us and mine show up equally and wholly and fully.”
She says that her <a href="https://www.hercampus.com/culture/layshia-clarendon-wnba-adidas-trans-athletes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WNBA teammates helped her draw a mustache on her face so she would look more like a man</a>. “One of my teammates, before I had my little mustache, she helped me fill it in one day for media day with her eyebrow pen. She was like, ‘Oh, try this!’ So that was such a sweet, tender moment of a teammate just seeing you and affirming you in the same way someone will be filling in their eyebrows or mascara on their eyelashes.”
Clarendon says she eventually grew a mustache raising an intriguing question: Was she receiving testosterone treatments when this occurred? That seems likely. So in addition to allowing a woman who identified as a man to play basketball in the league, it appears likely the league permitted gender treatments, including testosterone, for a player. Elevated levels of testosterone are prohibited in most leagues, male and female, because they are considered performance enhancing.
Not surprisingly, ESPN, via a trans writer, no less, did a huge feature story on how courageous Clarendon was. The article was published in 2021. You should read it. It lauds Clarendon for leading her team in wearing “Black Trans Lives Matter” t-shirts and speaks about her political activism. <a href="https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/31681454/the-power-layshia-clarendon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN labeled Clarendon: The WNBA’s most influential player.</a> The article, which was written amidst the peak-woke sports era, praises Clarendon for her left wing political activism:
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“It was Clarendon’s idea to dedicate the 2020 season to the <a href="https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/29418977/wnba-players-wear-jerseys-names-women-killed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Say Her Name campaign</a>. When the WNBPA launched the social justice council to steer the players’ activism efforts, Clarendon spearheaded it. When an idea was pitched to put “Black Lives Matter” on the court, Clarendon drew rudimentary sketches of basketball courts in Microsoft Paint, brainstorming how to make the concept work.”
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
In the bubble, the social justice council hosted webinars with the African American Policy Forum; politician Stacey Abrams; Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor’s mother; and others. Clarendon hosted a conversation with Raquel Willis, a Black transgender writer and activist. Clarendon also lent their expertise to the “Vote Warnock” campaign — the players’ successful mission to <a href="https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/29732604/inside-wnba-kelly-loeffler-stalemate-give-somebody-go" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oust then-Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler</a> from the U.S. Senate as well as from the league.”
</blockquote>
Later the article continues the praise.
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“Holding a microphone on that opening night of the 2020 season, and about to speak to a national audience on TV, Clarendon had that familiar feeling of a heavy emotional anchor, tying their feet to this moment and giving them courage. “I felt like I was standing on holy ground,” Clarendon says.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
With no notes, Clarendon said their names. Sandra Bland. Atatiana Jefferson. Dominique Rem’mie Fells. Breonna Taylor.”
</blockquote>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/31681454/the-power-layshia-clarendon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You should go read the entire article for yourselves, honestly.</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">WNBA’s Big Legal Mess</h3>
But whatever you think of trans-related issues and far left-wing political activism in sports, the Clarendon story is a huge legal mess for the WNBA when it comes to establishing league eligibility rules. Clarendon is a woman who identifies as a man and the league allowed her to play, while receiving gender change treatments — likely including testosterone treatments — and referring to her as him in all league press releases, guidebooks, and game notes.
If the league truly believes that gender is malleable, the WNBA has already allowed a man to play in the league.
In order to exclude Freedom and White, the league would have to argue Layshia Clarendon wasn’t actually a man, which directly contradicts the public statements the league has already made celebrating her transition to a man.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://x.com/ClayTravis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ClayTravis</a> talks WNBA and Enes Kanter Freedom with <a href="https://x.com/seanhannity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@seanhannity</a>. <a href="https://t.co/EwYa8IxKQI">pic.twitter.com/EwYa8IxKQI</a>
— The Clay Travis &amp; Buck Sexton Show (@clayandbuck) <a href="https://x.com/clayandbuck/status/2092635574943277315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So if they let a woman who identifies as a man play in the league, how can they now restrict Freedom and White, who say they are men identifying as women? In essence, how does the WNBA argue that only women are eligible to play in the league if they have already permitted, and publicly celebrated, a trans-man playing in the league?
Legally speaking, the WNBA could adopt a policy going forward that only players born as women are eligible, but that rule doesn’t exist today. Presently the WNBA eligibility guidelines say: “Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” But the way the league applied its own rules permitted a woman who says she is a man to play. And any change to league eligibility rules today would be occurring after Freedom and White have already declared themselves eligible under the existing rules, likely rendering the eligibility changes unenforceable under the law.
Complicating this situation further, Clarendon didn’t just play as a man identifying as a woman; she was involved in drafting and ratifying the existing WNBA guidelines under the CBA adopted in 2020. This means not only did the WNBA allow her to play after receiving gender surgery, they had to examine the league rules to permit this to occur. Did they issue any legal guidance then? What did the WNBA’s lawyers say about Clarendon’s eligibility as a woman identifying as a man? All of that would be discoverable in a lawsuit in the event the league excluded Freedom and White from eligibility.
What’s more, we know about Clarendon because she spoke out about her gender transition surgery. Has anyone else in the WNBA had the same surgeries and not publicly disclosed them? Are other players currently receiving testosterone as part of a gender treatment plan? If so, are there records of this? Additionally, are there women who are not actually “women,” that is testing as XX chromosomes when assessed for gender? If so, this might explain why the WNBA has refused to adopt the same gender testing standards as the Women’s Tennis Association, the NCAA, and the International Olympic Committee, all of which require women actually be women to participate in their competitions.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Where Does This Leave Us?</h3>
The WNBA, based on their treatment of Layshia Clarendon, is in a legally precarious position when it comes to what a woman is and how to define it in their league going forward. The league has four real options:
<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Admit that Clarendon was never a man and was eligible to play in the league because she was born a woman, meaning the league must deny her transition to a man is legitimate and affirm that you are the gender on your birth certificate for purposes of league rules.</li>
<li>Admit women who identify as men and men who identify as women into the league, allowing gender identity to govern, not birth gender. This would allow Freedom and White and any other men who identify as women to play in the league.</li>
<li>Deny Freedom and White are actually women, meaning the WNBA knows what a woman is. But, again, the challenge here is they have allowed an avowed man to already play in the league and celebrated it.</li>
<li>Permit Freedom and White to be entered into the WNBA Draft, but have teams refuse to draft them. The problem here is Freedom and White could then immediately sue, alleging antitrust violations based on the conspired agreement of teams to not draft them, when the players would clearly be the best basketball players available to be drafted.</li>
</ol>
I think the WNBA is trapped here, their prior actions and public statements have created a legal minefield when it comes to player eligibility. In essence, if a woman pretending to be a man is eligible to play in the league, how they can exclude men pretending to be women?
Other lawyers can analyze this as well, I’d be genuinely curious to hear what they think too. But I believe the WNBA’s treatment of Layshia Clarendon and public pronouncements that a woman who identified as a man was actually a man creates huge legal obstacles for the WNBA going forward when it comes to keep Freedom and White out of the league.
If you’re wondering why the league has been so quiet when it comes to defining a woman, it may well be because the league’s own lawyers have looked at this issue and realized the WNBA is in a deep legal mess.
By publicly embracing a woman pretending to be a man and allowing her to play in the league for multiple years, they’ve opened the door to men identifying as women being eligible too.
Sport &amp; State has shared this article with WNBA officials requesting comment on all the issues raised here. We will update the article if we receive any comments. But don’t hold your breath.

Phoenix Mercury v Los Angeles Sparks

Clay Travis: Former Trans Player Layshia Clarendon Puts WNBA In Huge Legal Mess

cathy engelbert

enes kanter freedom

layshia clarendon

royce white

sports

transgender athletes in women's sports

wnba

Cathy Engelbert announced that she will step down as WNBA commissioner at the end of the calendar year as the league remains mired in controversy over transgender participation in women&#8217;s sports.
Engelbert told the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/engelbert-retiring-wnba-commissioner-1cdfcb8a9839e9b84257e68e0791fa46">Associated Press</a> in an interview that she was not pressured to step down by the NBA or WNBA stakeholders, saying the decision was her own. 
“When I first came to the league, I intended to do this for 3½ years,” she said. “The 7½ years exceeded that time. This is a really good time given the financial transformation journey we’ve been on. Getting the collective bargaining agreement done, getting a long-term media rights deal done, getting expansion done.” 
“It’s a good time to hand it off to the next leader to take the ‘W’ into a better phase,” she added. “I’m proud of the team we built and everything we accomplished. A leader knows when it’s time to drop the mic and move on after building a powerhouse team in the league office.”
Engelbert also doubled down on the league’s handling of the transgender debate that has plagued the season, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/engelbert-retiring-wnba-commissioner-1cdfcb8a9839e9b84257e68e0791fa46">maintaining</a> that there are “no current eligibility issues in the WNBA.”
The controversy intensified after former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nba-player-declares-for-wnba-draft?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Former+NBA+Player+Declares+For+WNBA+Draft">declared </a>themselves women and eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft in an effort to challenge the league&#8217;s definition of a woman. The league&#8217;s collective bargaining agreement states that only women can play in the league, but it does not explicitly define the term or explain how the league determines eligibility. 
In August, the WNBA held a meeting involving team presidents and general managers to discuss how to define a woman. The league could not reach an agreement, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-finishes-meeting-on-transgender-athletes-decides-nothing?author=Gus+Wilson&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WNBA+Finishes+Meeting+On+Transgender+Athletes%2C+Decides+Nothing">reported</a>.
“Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online. We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months,” a WNBA spokesman said in a statement obtained by The Daily Wire. “We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league. There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others.”
Engelbert says she retires knowing the best is yet to come for the league. “I retire knowing we have built something bigger, stronger and more enduring than we could have imagined. I am grateful to the WNBA and NBA team owners and staff, players, investors, fans and the powerhouse league office staff, who believed in what this league could become. I retire with immense gratitude and tremendous optimism for the future of the WNBA, with the best yet to come.”

2024 WNBA Draft

Major Change Coming To WNBA As Gender Debate Rages On

WNBA Commissioner Heads For The Exit As League Fails To Determine What A Woman Is

For nearly 30 years, the WNBA has operated under the once-unremarkable assumption that the “W” in its name meant something. But in our enlightened, post-biological era, the Women’s National Basketball Association has found itself in a peculiar existential crisis: What, indeed, is the W?
Instead of simply stating its position, the WNBA has presented what could best be described as a masterclass in semantic evasion.
<a href="https://www.wnbpa.com/_files/ugd/8121a3_675911316ca142178932adc1e56519ac.pdf">Article XIII</a> of the league’s collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” Simple enough. Unfortunately, the agreement never explains what qualifies someone as a woman. Anatomy? Chromosomes? Hormone levels? Gender identity? Jar-opening ability? Throw-pillow-to-couch ratio? The league has yet to say.
And so the WNBA finds itself in the remarkable position of maintaining a women-only professional sports league while refusing to clearly define the one characteristic every player is required to possess.
Cue the mischief-makers with a point.
Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White decided to stress-test the league’s eligibility criteria and both announced that they identify as women and intend to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. <a href="https://x.com/EnesFreedom/status/2085772139869696032">Freedom’s</a> argument was straightforward: &#8220;If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in the WNBA.&#8221; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/yeidadprops/videos/im-transgender-im-a-woman-i-identify-as-sometimes-identifying-as-a-woman-for-pur/2473553663151419/">White</a> followed suit, announcing, &#8220;I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purposes of basketball … so I&#8217;ll be declaring for the WNBA.”
The WNBA, understandably, would prefer not to RSVP to this particular circus. Representatives have dismissed the declarations as “<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2026/08/24/enes-kanter-wnba-draft-eligibility-royce-white/91446929007/">publicity stunts</a>” and declined to be dragged into what they see as an ideological spectacle. But dismissing the stunt doesn’t resolve the question the stunt was designed to expose.
If Freedom and White are not women for the purposes of the WNBA, then there must be some objective criterion by which the league knows that. And if such a criterion exists, it shouldn’t require Sherlock Holmes, three philosophers, and a team of lawyers to locate it.
Because definitions still matter, even when they become politically inconvenient.
This debacle is the fruit of years of indulging the “your truth” and “my truth” language so long as the consequences are mostly inconsequential. For example, your coworker’s “truth” may be that he’s a gifted singer, while the rest of the team considers his karaoke performance a violation of the Geneva Convention. Civilization continues.
But shared institutions require shared definitions and shared standards by which they are evaluated.
A society can entertain one person insisting “up is down” while another insists “down is up” right up until both approach a staircase. That is why the question popularized by Matt Walsh’s 2022 documentary “What Is a Woman?” remains so culturally explosive. The difficulty isn’t that humans spent several thousand years unable to distinguish men from women until documentary filmmakers arrived. The difficulty is that answering the question clearly forces us to confront whether biological categories describe something objectively real or whether individual identity can override them.
Freedom and White have simply transported that philosophical dispute onto a basketball court, where abstractions suddenly acquire height, weight, muscle mass, eligibility requirements, and the occasional jump shot.
The WNBA now has to decide where it plants its flag: biology or self-identification? Reality or ideology? There is no neutral position hiding comfortably between the two. If personal declaration determines who a woman is, the league needs to explain why Freedom and White don&#8217;t qualify. If biological sex determines eligibility, it needs to say so. Refusing to answer may postpone the controversy, but not the contradiction.
Of course, taking a clear position carries a cost. But the league’s reluctance reflects a broader cultural problem: definitions draw boundaries, boundaries necessarily exclude, and “exclusion” now ranks somewhere between using a plastic straw and murder in the modern American list of cardinal sins.
This is how words like “inclusion” and “tolerance” mutate into something much stranger. Instead of meaning, “I will treat you with dignity even though I disagree with you,” tolerance begins requiring everyone else to affirm your description of reality. And once institutions accept that bargain, definitions become dangerous things.
Perhaps that explains why the WNBA reportedly doesn&#8217;t want to “<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2026/08/24/enes-kanter-wnba-draft-eligibility-royce-white/91446929007/">give oxygen</a>” to Freedom and White’s stunt. But oxygen is not the problem. Reality does not suffocate when we refuse to discuss it.
The WNBA can decline the interview, ignore the stunt, avoid the politics, and leave “woman” conspicuously undefined in its eligibility rules. What it cannot do is operate a professional league exclusively for women without eventually deciding what the word means.
***
Phoenix Hayes is coauthor of “<a href="https://thewaronreality.com/">The War on Reality: Recovering Truth in a World that Celebrates Lies</a>,” alongside Frank Turek. She equips Christians to think clearly about culture and politics while defending their faith.

WNBA: AUG 23 Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky

Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes: Will A Man Be The WNBA Rookie Of The Year?

gender identity

opinion

transgender in sports

Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter doubled down on his decision to bar Enes Kanter Freedom from future WNBA games at Wintrust Arena, claiming the former NBA player was no more entitled to a warning than someone who would &#8220;shoot a gun at someone.&#8221;
Alter told OutKick that Freedom had been identified as a threat when he stood up and approached the court, hands raised — at Sunday&#8217;s game featuring the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky — in response to comments shouted at him by Sky guard Natasha Cloud. He went on to suggest that Freedom had not been given a &#8220;warning&#8221; before he was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-banned-from-chicago-sky-home-games-as-potential-threat">ejected from the game</a> because the threat he represented was so serious.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter says Enes Kanter Freedom became a “potential threat” when he stepped toward the court, defending the decision to eject him without warning.
Asked why Freedom wasn’t warned first, Alter compared it to shooting a gun: “Certain threats don’t get… <a href="https://t.co/95l3PP8Iir">pic.twitter.com/95l3PP8Iir</a>
— OutKick (@Outkick) <a href="https://x.com/Outkick/status/2092738568309682530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;He wasn’t given a warning because certain threats don’t get warnings. He was given a lot of leeway, as I was saying, he was sitting there and he was trash talking her and all that, so he was certainly given leeway, but at a certain point, when somebody — I mean, to use an extreme example, when you shoot a gun at someone, you don’t get a warning, ‘Don’t do that again.’ Your action doesn’t deserve a warning. You take action that becomes a threat, you don’t get a warning,&#8221; Alter said.
Freedom responded to the wild comparison, saying of Alter, &#8220;I mean, he needs to check himself.&#8221;
The former NBA player — who has declared for the 2027 WNBA draft based on the league&#8217;s vague guidelines regarding gender identification — said he may pursue legal action against the team and its owner.
&#8220;I’m not talking about against the WNBA, but I think against Michael Alter and the Chicago Sky for sure. Like, I don’t think they know what they’re talking about,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Me and my legal team will definitely be taking actions against Chicago Sky and Michael Alter.&#8221;
Freedom said he was at the game to support Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham, whom he calls a friend, who has been the target of harassment since she went public with her support for biological women and girls in athletics.

Indiana Fever v Chicago Sky

WNBA Owner Compares Enes Kanter Freedom To Shooting A Gun

WNBA Owner Claims Enes Kanter Freedom Posed Threat Equal To Firing A Gun

chicago sky

michael alter

natasha cloud

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom has been banned from future Chicago Sky home games after a confrontation with guard Natasha Cloud led to his ejection from Sunday&#8217;s game.
Sky owner Michael Alter told local reporters on Tuesday that Freedom would not be allowed to attend the team&#8217;s games at Chicago&#8217;s Wintrust Arena unless he was first &#8220;able to prove to our satisfaction that he is able to abide by our rules without being a potential threat.&#8221;
&#8220;He has demonstrated to us, unequivocally, that he has the potential to be a threat,&#8221; Alter said.
&#8220;The fact that we&#8217;re having this conversation to me is just really sad,&#8221; Alter continued. &#8220;It&#8217;s a shame that we&#8217;re spending as much time as we are on this and not the wonderful things that are happening in our league — or even some of the not-so-wonderful things, like the Sky not making the playoffs for the third year in a row. I&#8217;m sure those are the things we should be talking about.&#8221;
Alter accused Freedom of attending the game to provoke a reaction and attract attention.
&#8220;It was pretty clear to us that his purpose of coming here was trying to be provocative, to see how much attention he could get and stir up,&#8221; Alter said.
Alter <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky/2026/08/25/sky-ban-enes-kanter-freedom-from-games-according-to-principal-owner-michael-alter">added</a> that he interviewed people seated near Freedom who told him that Freedom initiated the exchange by directing basketball-related trash talk at Cloud.
Freedom, who attended the game wearing a shirt reading &#8220;WOMAN. Noun. Adult human female,&#8221; claimed that he&#8217;d attended the game to support Indiana Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham, who&#8217;s been the target of protests since she declared her stance on defending biological females and girls in athletics. Sunday&#8217;s confrontation came after he raised both arms in celebration of a Cunningham three-pointer.
He said that during the next possession, Cloud approached the baseline where he was seated and shouted at him, saying that Cunningham was never going to sleep with him. Freedom, who said that Cunningham is just a friend, stood up and stepped toward the court — but a number of players and officials stepped between him and Cloud, and he was escorted from the arena before things could escalate further.
After a brief conversation with security, Freedom left the venue.

Enes Kanter Freedom Banned From Chicago Sky Home Games As ‘Potential Threat’

sophie cunningham

The WNBA has a rule saying only women can play. What it doesn&#8217;t have, at least publicly, is an explanation of what exactly makes someone a woman.
Enter Enes Kanter Freedom.
The former NBA player is putting that question to the test after ESPN reported that multiple sources around the league said he and fellow former NBA player Royce White are not eligible to play in the WNBA.
There&#8217;s a reason two former NBA players suddenly want into the women&#8217;s league.
Both men have declared themselves women and eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft. The move is meant to force the league to confront a question that has been hanging over it for weeks.
Who qualifies as a woman under WNBA rules?
Article XIII, Section 1(a) of the WNBA&#8217;s collective bargaining agreement states: &#8220;Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.&#8221;
That&#8217;s it.
<div id="attachment_1164645" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1164645" class="wp-image-1164645 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2291740286.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Michael Reaves/Getty Images</div>
The agreement does not go on to define the word &#8220;woman,&#8221; and the WNBA does not have a publicly available policy governing the eligibility of transgender or intersex athletes, according to ESPN.
So when Fox News host Laura Ingraham pressed Freedom Monday night on whether he is actually a transgender woman, Freedom turned the question back to the league&#8217;s rules.
&#8220;Listen Section 13 right Uh Article 13 Section 1 says if you identify as a woman then you&#8217;re allowed to play,&#8221; Freedom said.
Ingraham asked whether that meant he was identifying as a woman.
&#8220;I identify as a woman, sure, yes,&#8221; Freedom responded.
Freedom&#8217;s description goes further than what the CBA actually says. The agreement does not state that simply identifying as a woman makes someone eligible. It says only that players who are women may play, without publicly explaining how the league determines who meets that requirement.
And that&#8217;s the loophole Freedom is trying to expose.
&#8220;But right now if you identify as a woman you&#8217;re allowed to play and I am identifying as a woman and I am I should be allowed to play it,&#8221; Freedom told Ingraham.
The WNBA didn&#8217;t find itself answering questions about transgender athletes because of Freedom, however.
That started with Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.
Cunningham set off a national debate earlier this summer when she spoke out against men competing against women and girls.
&#8220;I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I&#8217;m like, I never once said that,&#8221; Cunningham told ESPN. &#8220;I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn&#8217;t have to go against biological men.&#8221;
Cunningham later described her position as &#8220;common sense.&#8221; Her comments turned what had largely been a broader political debate into a very real WNBA headache.
Protests and counterprotests began following the Fever on the road. Other players weighed in. The league was suddenly facing questions about who should be allowed to compete in women&#8217;s basketball.
There was just one problem. There wasn&#8217;t actually a transgender player attempting to enter the WNBA.
Freedom and White decided to change that.
Freedom played 11 seasons in the NBA, while White was a first-round NBA Draft pick in 2012. Both men declared themselves women and eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft, transforming a largely hypothetical debate into a direct challenge to the league&#8217;s eligibility language.
Freedom then took the fight courtside.
He attended Sunday&#8217;s Indiana Fever game against the Chicago Sky wearing a black shirt that read, &#8220;WOMAN noun. adult human female.&#8221;
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During a timeout late in the third quarter, Sky guard Natasha Cloud confronted Freedom, and Freedom took several steps toward the court before security intervened and escorted him from Wintrust Arena.
&#8220;I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN!&#8221; Freedom wrote afterward. &#8220;Let that sink in, AMERICA!&#8221;
A day later, ESPN reported that sources around the league said Freedom and White would not be eligible to play.
ESPN also reported that there are currently no cases requiring the WNBA to make an eligibility determination and that the league plans to continue researching and reviewing the issue. No known transgender woman has played in the WNBA.
That leaves Freedom with essentially the same question he started with: if the WNBA says he isn&#8217;t eligible, what exactly is the rule that makes him ineligible?
Freedom said he&#8217;ll follow it if the league spells it out.
&#8220;If they ever come out and say &#8216;Okay we are changing the rules,&#8217; I respect their decision,&#8221; Freedom told Ingraham. &#8220;I will, you know, follow the rules.&#8221;
For now, the league&#8217;s written rule remains remarkably simple: only women can play in the WNBA.
Freedom&#8217;s challenge is just as simple.
Define one.

Enes Kanter Freedom Responds After WNBA Says He’s Not A Woman

transgender athletes in sports

Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud posted a message supporting transgender-identifying people after her viral confrontation with former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom during Sunday night&#8217;s game ended with Freedom being ejected from the arena.
&#8220;<span class="x1lliihq x1plvlek xryxfnj x1n2onr6 xyejjpt x15dsfln xi7mnp6 x193iq5w xeuugli x1fj9vlw x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x1i0vuye xjohtrz xo1l8bm xw2npq5 x1yc453h" dir="auto">To every trans kid/person, <span class="x1lliihq x1plvlek xryxfnj x1n2onr6 xyejjpt x15dsfln xi7mnp6 x193iq5w xeuugli x1fj9vlw x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x1i0vuye xjohtrz xo1l8bm xw2npq5 x1yc453h" dir="auto">You are apart [sic] of MY community &amp; tribe,&#8221; Cloud wrote in a <a href="https://www.threads.com/@t__cloud9/post/DcaByfOEQ3I?xmt=AQG0XWBinCGeIgt5PW0YPLuQ_rvf9e3PLVcGtZ948kU9zHgBF32l6eeZDjQR2dz8Tt8Fuug&amp;slof=1">post</a> on Threads. &#8220;You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen. You’re perfect as you are. &amp; you will always be protected by me.&#8221;
Her post came shortly after a mid-game confrontation in which she shouted at Freedom, who was seated by the baseline wearing a T-shirt defining a woman as an &#8220;adult human female.&#8221;
Cloud had just scored a basket with just over a minute left in the third quarter of Chicago&#8217;s game against the Indiana Fever when the Fever called a timeout. Cloud used the stoppage to approach Freedom and shout at him from the court. Freedom stood up and raised both arms while stepping toward the court before players and officials got between them.
Freedom was ultimately <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-booted-from-wnba-game-after-confrontation">escorted from his courtside seat</a> and spoke briefly with police before leaving Chicago&#8217;s Wintrust Arena. He later told OutKick that he believed his shirt had provoked Cloud&#8217;s outburst.
&#8220;I was cheering for my friend Sophie [Cunningham] because when she shot that three, I put my hands in the air,&#8221; Freedom told the outlet. &#8220;A couple possessions later, [Cloud] came back and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’ And I was shocked. I was like, ‘Listen, I’m not trying to sleep with her. I think she’s awesome. She’s a good friend.’ But I think it has a lot to do with my shirt. I was obviously wearing a shirt explaining what a woman is, and I think that had a lot to do with what she thinks about women. I think it triggered her a lot.&#8221;
Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham has been the target of protests since she stood up for protecting women and girls in sports, and a number of other WNBA players and coaches have taken the opposite position.
The issue has also sparked confrontations involving fans. A Seattle Storm co-owner was accused of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-co-owner-accused-of-cursing-out-teen-girls-over-xx-xy-shirts">scolding teenage girls</a> who wore XX-XY Athletics gear to a game, while a mother and daughter attending an Atlanta Dream game recently said they were told to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-sophie-cunningham-fans-targeted-again">cover up</a> their XX-XY shirts or leave the arena.
Freedom entered the debate after reviewing the WNBA&#8217;s eligibility rules, claiming that he met the qualifications to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-former-nba-player-says-hes-entering-wnba-draft-threatens-discrimination-suit">declare</a> for the 2027 WNBA draft. Fellow former NBA player Royce White followed with a nearly identical announcement, adding that he &#8220;sometimes&#8221; identified as a transgender woman and planned to sue for discrimination if he went undrafted.

WNBA Player Makes Transgender Pledge After Enes Kanter Freedom Confrontation

WNBA Player Responds After Dustup That Got Enes Kanter Freedom Ousted From Game

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy ripped Enes Kanter Freedom after the former NBA player&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-reveals-what-led-to-wnba-courtside-confrontation?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=Sports&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Enes+Kanter+Freedom+Reveals+What+Led+To+WNBA+Courtside+Confrontation">courtside clash</a> with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud on Sunday night.
Portnoy said that while he agrees with Freedom&#8217;s stance on keeping men out of women&#8217;s sports, he argued that Freedom is &#8220;making this issue about him.&#8221; Freedom and Cloud engaged in a viral confrontation late in the third quarter of the game between the Sky and the Fever, and Freedom was ejected from the arena.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think boys should be allowed to play in girls sports. I also think Enes Kanter is an absolute clown for making this issue about him,&#8221; Portnoy <a href="https://x.com/stoolpresidente/status/2091696406863974812">wrote</a> on X.
The famed sports commentator argued that Freedom&#8217;s action took the spotlight off of women playing in Sunday night&#8217;s game as Freedom&#8217;s fiery confrontation drew attention away from Fever star Caitlin Clark&#8217;s dominant performance of 37 points and 10 assists.
&#8220;We should be talking about how Caitlin had another double double 37 and 10,&#8221; Portnoy added.
Some social media users, however, pointed out that very few people would have paid attention to the Fever&#8217;s game against the Sky if the clash between Freedom and Cloud hadn&#8217;t taken place.
&#8220;Except not even the WNBA wants to talk about Clark having a double double 37 and 10. That&#8217;s what led to all of this in the first place,&#8221; conservative commentator Stephen L. Miller wrote. &#8220;Portnoy isn&#8217;t wrong, but it&#8217;s the WNBA that caused all of this.&#8221;
Conservative activist Billboard Chris slammed Portnoy, arguing that Freedom is &#8220;defending women and girls from the cult of trans in the most effective way he possibly can.&#8221;
&#8220;I have never cared about a double double in the WNBA and I never will, like 99% of men,&#8221; he added. &#8220;But I care about this. Those women should all thank him for improving their ratings and their future paychecks.&#8221;
Freedom sat courtside at the game to support Cunningham, wearing a shirt that stated the definition of a woman as “adult human female.” He claimed that Cloud began shouting at him shortly after he celebrated a three-pointer made by Cunningham.
“Sophie Cunningham shot a three, and I put my hands up to celebrate. Literally, a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’” Kanter told OutKick. “And I was like, ‘I am not trying to sleep with her. I’m just here to protect women and support her.’ And then, obviously, after that she started yapping, and she started to walk towards me, and literally I just got up, and then I was like, ‘I’m just here to protect women, and that’s all.’”
Portnoy has been one of the WNBA&#8217;s biggest critics, regularly ripping the league&#8217;s inexplicable bias against Clark. He also defended Fever guard Sophie Cunningham after she was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/black-player-clocks-sophie-cunningham-then-complains-about-white-privilege-after-ejection">leveled</a> by Sky player DiJonai Carrington during a game earlier this month. Cunningham has become the center of attention in the WNBA following her comments on keeping men out of women&#8217;s sports last month. But Freedom&#8217;s response to the WNBA, including his declaration for the WNBA draft, is not helping solve issues in the league, according to Portnoy.
Freedom played his final years for the Boston Celtics, Portnoy&#8217;s favorite team, and in 2019, Portnoy said he was excited for the 6-foot-10 center to join the Celtics.
&#8220;I love Kanter. I love this new look Celtics team. Back to guys with heart who want to be here and win,&#8221; Portnoy <a href="https://x.com/stoolpresidente/status/1145758476012048384">said</a> after Freedom signed with Boston.

Portnoy Enes

Dave Portnoy Calls Enes Kanter Freedom An ‘Absolute Clown’ After WNBA Courtside Clash

caitlin clark

dave portnoy

Former NBA player and current WNBA prospect Enes Kanter Freedom said Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud made a crude remark toward him. Moments later, the two were in a viral courtside confrontation that ended with Freedom being <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/enes-kanter-freedom-booted-from-wnba-game-after-confrontation?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Enes+Kanter+Freedom+Booted+From+WNBA+Game+After+Confrontation">ejected</a> from the arena.
The wild scene unfolded during Sunday night&#8217;s game between the Sky and the Indiana Fever.
Freedom <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/enes-kanter-freedom-opens-confrontation-natasha-cloud-led-ejection-wnba-pursuit">told</a> OutKick that his heated confrontation with Cloud began shortly after Freedom celebrated Fever guard Sophie Cunningham nailing a three-pointer in the third quarter. Freedom was in attendance to support Cunningham, wearing a shirt that stated the definition of a woman as &#8220;adult human female.&#8221;
&#8220;Sophie Cunningham shot a three, and I put my hands up to celebrate. Literally, a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’&#8221; Kanter told OutKick. &#8220;And I was like, ‘I am not trying to sleep with her. I’m just here to protect women and support her.’ And then, obviously, after that she started yapping, and she started to walk towards me, and literally I just got up, and then I was like, ‘I’m just here to protect women, and that’s all.’&#8221;
Video of the heated exchange showed Cloud approach Freedom as her teammates rushed to hold her back. Freedom stood with his arms outstretched and exchanged words with Cloud before arena security stepped in front of him and led him to the exit.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/J4xLkXQdkZfx0241wLkaYoN3w7rIIQZk1?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=6c6eddda-38b1-4cc0-8e65-2e70991c0f62&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-08-23%20Enes%20Kanter%20Freedom%20Booted%20From%20WNBA%20Game&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F07f1e6a0-3928-4b0e-a7ff-15a6c6005e9e.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
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&#8220;She started to actually cuss,&#8221; Freedom added. &#8220;And I was very shocked. There were a lot of kids and there were a lot of teenagers at that game, and I just cannot believe that she was just cussing and using those F-bombs in front of all these kids.&#8221;
The former NBA forward said that he asked security why they were forcing him to leave since Cloud instigated the confrontation. As he was forced out of the arena, Freedom said he also spoke to police officers.
The fiery exchange came as the WNBA grapples with the question of allowing men into the women&#8217;s league. While no trans-identifying men currently play in the WNBA, the increasing number of men dominating other women&#8217;s sports has sparked debate about whether the WNBA should address the issue. Last month, Cunningham made comments on protecting girls&#8217; and women&#8217;s sports that thrust the issue into the spotlight in the WNBA.
“I’m not a very political person, but I do have beliefs,” she said. “I have morals, and I’ll always stand on those and be true to who I am, and I think people are going to take it how they want to take it. … When it comes to protecting young girls in sport and women in sport, I feel very strongly about that.”
Freedom, along with former NBA player Royce White, have backed Cunningham during the controversy and recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nba-player-declares-for-wnba-draft">declared</a> for the WNBA draft in an attempt to force the league&#8217;s hand on the issue. The WNBA, however, has refused to take a stand on keeping men out of the league and held a meeting on transgender athletes earlier this month, but came to no conclusion on men playing in women&#8217;s sports.

Enes Kanter Freedom Reveals What Led To WNBA Courtside Confrontation

Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom got booted from Sunday night&#8217;s WNBA game (Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky) at Chicago&#8217;s Wintrust Arena after a brief confrontation with a player on the court.
Freedom, wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the definition of the word &#8220;woman,&#8221; was ejected just before the end of the third quarter after a brief confrontation with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud. With 1:22 left in the quarter, Cloud scored – and the Fever called for a timeout.
Cloud approached the baseline where Freedom was seated, pointing and shouting at him — and he raised both arms and stepped toward the court. Several other players and officials jumped between them, preventing the confrontation from escalating.
Freedom spoke briefly with police before leaving the arena.
He had attended the game, as well as a pregame rally, to show his support for Indiana Fever shooting guard Sophie Cunningham — who has become a popular target for pro-trans activists since she declared her support for biological women in sports and sex-specific spaces for women and girls.
Protests and rallies have followed the Fever to several recent games, and on several occasions, women and girls who have shown their support — either for biological women in sports or for Cunningham — have been harassed or told that if they didn&#8217;t cover up their XX-XY Athletics shirts, they would be forced to leave.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-former-nba-player-says-hes-entering-wnba-draft-threatens-discrimination-suit">WNBA&#8217;s</a> unwillingness to draw a hard line between male and female prompted Freedom and fellow former NBA player Royce White to declare for the 2027 WNBA draft.
As The Daily Wire previously reported, Freedom had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nba-player-declares-for-wnba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared himself a 2027 prospect</a>, saying that he had reviewed the league’s self-identification framework and met its requirements.
White said the same, adding that he was &#8220;a sometimes identifying transgender woman&#8221; and said that if he was not drafted, he would &#8220;have to file a discrimination lawsuit, right?&#8221;

Enes Kanter Freedom Booted From WNBA Game After Confrontation

women's sports

When Shane Gillis hosted the ESPYs in 2025, he put the spotlight on a woman in the crowd who he said was a four-time WNBA all-star. Everyone clapped, until he told them that it wasn’t a WNBA player at all. It was just his friend’s wife. Nobody knew, because nobody cares.
&#8220;I knew none of you knew WNBA players,&#8221; Gillis said. &#8220;That&#8217;s crazy.&#8221;
Well, Mr. Gillis, the WNBA might get the last laugh because that’s all about to change. The WNBA could soon get a shot of pure testosterone, dressed up as an athlete with feminine feelings.
Based on current eligibility rules and draft announcements, the next draft is slated to be the most stacked ever in WNBA history. The three players expected at the top of the draft will change the DNA of their new franchises forever, bringing a level of play that has never been seen in the league before.
It’s obviously still the current season, so the actual draft order is just a guess. We’re obviously not tracking the standings of the season — as Gillis proved, nobody is — so it’s barely an educated guess, but I have covered women’s basketball for much longer than any of you, so trust my analysis.
With all the buzz surrounding the WNBA and the marquee talent joining next season, it’s a great time to look at the future of women&#8217;s basketball with a Way Too Early WNBA 2027 Mock Draft.
<h3>1. Enes Kanter Freedom — Connecticut Sun</h3>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1156043 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></div>
Enes Kanter Freedom is a WNBA coach’s dream.
She stands 6’10 and weighs around 250 pounds, which would make her the most physically dominant player in the league.  Enes will team up with Brittney Griner, yep Brittney hasn’t made it in the NBA…yet. It&#8217;s been four years since Kanter played pro ball, but check out this video: she is jacked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Let “The Transition” to the <a href="https://x.com/WNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WNBA</a> begin.
Rules Are Rules!<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/LetFreedomPlay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetFreedomPlay</a> <a href="https://t.co/EWWjrl7DaL">pic.twitter.com/EWWjrl7DaL</a>
— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://x.com/EnesFreedom/status/2087185917047971948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
She is also a former WWE title holder. Kanter took down R-Truth back in 2019 in front of a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden — far larger than any WNBA crowd — to claim the WWE 24/7 Championship. Her run in sports entertainment will help Kanter with the theatrics that happen night in and night out in the WNBA. Kanter will make a splash in season one.
<h3>2. Royce White — Washington Mystics.</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156015" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156015" class="size-large wp-image-1156015" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Royce White X Account</div>
Get you a <a href="https://x.com/Highway_30/status/2086316310309347564?s=20">girl</a> who can do both! White is working on her game and a political aspirations. Playing in D.C. gives her the perfect opportunity to fulfill both duties to the country and WNBA. A standout at Iowa State, he led the Cyclones in scoring, posted one of the best seasons in Iowa State history, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. The Mystics will raise its stock significantly with this addition.
<h3>3. Julie Tetart — Toronto Tempo</h3>
<div id="attachment_1151143" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1151143" class="wp-image-1151143 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--1024x542.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="542" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--1024x542.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--300x159.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--768x407.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller-.jpg 1058w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Instagram: Julie Tétart</div>
Pronounced like Mater from the PIXAR film “Cars,” this French woman bailed on being a man at 29 years old and has since dominated the women’s French basketball league. She’s the reigning Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Domestic Player of the Year in the league with her eyes set on the next prize which is that WNBA paycheck. Check out her highlights from last season:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Julie Tetart&#8217;s best games last season in the Monaco Basket Association 👀
32 PTS, 25 REB (14/16 FG) 
29 PTS, 22 REB (9/10 FG) 
25 PTS, 25 REB (12 ORB) 
24 PTS, 28 REB (12 ORB) 
24 PTS, 23 REB (11/11 FG) 
21 PTS, 30 REB, 5 STL 
30 PTS, 21 REB (11/15 FG)<a href="https://t.co/pdzZWIfG05">pic.twitter.com/pdzZWIfG05</a>
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://x.com/Ballislife/status/2085004697023205845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
It’s a top-heavy draft, and this is where the weight may run out. These are the only three players you need to know next season. They will own every category in the league.
They&#8217;re the only three that have declared intent, but now that the seal is broken, we foresee more league-changing talent right around the corner. I went ahead and rounded out the top 10 prospects in the 2027 WNBA Draft.
<h3>4. Kyle Guy</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156537" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156537" class="size-large wp-image-1156537" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images</div>
What a year to be the first Guy in the WNBA. He won a national championship for Virginia in 2019, had a few years in the NBA, and has now transitioned into a whole new era of basketball: 3 v 3, internationally. Sounds to me like the road back home runs through the WNBA.
Another transition could be intriguing for Guy.
<h3>5. Jimmy Butler</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156543" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156543" class="size-large wp-image-1156543" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Sam Navarro/Getty Images</div>
One of my favorite players. Always down for a rebrand. Remember Emo Jimmy with the painted black nails?
He could be an absolute trendsetter in the WNBA.
<h3>6. Tristan Thompson</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156547" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156547" class="size-large wp-image-1156547" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Rich Storry/Getty Images</div>
He has children with a Kardashian. He knows business and continuing his basketball career in the WNBA would be a great business opportunity, plus Caitlyn Jenner can help him with his feminine side.
<h3>7. Grayson Allen</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156555" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156555" class="size-large wp-image-1156555" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images</div>
Big Ted Cruz guy. Allen has a Reddit account dedicated to his favorite books&#8230; You know women love a book club.
<h3>8. Dwight Howard</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156557" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156557" class="size-large wp-image-1156557" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: John Nacion/Getty Images for Fanatics</div>
We’ve all heard the rumors…
<h3>9. Dwayne Wade</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156561" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156561" class="size-large wp-image-1156561" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images</div>
Since he endorsed his adolescent son&#8217;s transition. It&#8217;s safe to assume he&#8217;s a major ally for men in women’s sports.
<h3>10. Zaya Wade</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156571" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156571" class="size-large wp-image-1156571" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images</div>
Dwayne Wade&#8217;s son has been identifying as a girl since she was 12. Seven years later, he could be a PR star for the league. It&#8217;s in his DNA.
The 2027 WNBA Draft is set for April of next year. Tune in for our next round of updates.

Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images/ Royce White

Our Way Too Early WNBA Mock Draft: Testosterone-Fueled Talent Shakes Up Board

The WNBA held a meeting Wednesday to discuss the all-important question, &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/what-is-a-woman">What is a woman?</a>&#8221; as it faces controversy over whether men should be allowed in the league. 
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told teams in a memo that a committee consisting of team presidents and general managers would speak on the issue of men in women&#8217;s sports during the meeting, according to ESPN.
The result of the meeting was underwhelming as WNBA leaders came to no conclusion on transgender athletes competing in the league. Instead, they pushed the major decision even further down the road and urged people to stop speaking in “bad-faith efforts” on the subject. 
“Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online. We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months,” a WNBA spokesman said in a statement obtained by The Daily Wire. “We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league. There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others.”
Neither Engelbert nor the WNBA higher-ups could come to a conclusion on what should have been a simple yes-or-no vote.
The debate on transgender athletes in sports escalated after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham took a stance on the issue and 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.” Cunningham&#8217;s comments led to some WNBA players and coaches criticizing the guard and supporting men in women&#8217;s sports.
Supporters of Cunningham were even scolded courtside when Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sophie-cunningham-rips-wnba-team-co-owner-for-harassing-teens-girls-with-xx-xy-shirts">yelled at the teenagers</a> for wearing shirts advocating for the protection of women&#8217;s sports.
The issue has also prompted former NBA pros <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nba-player-declares-for-wnba-draft?row=0&amp;elementPosition=12&amp;rowType=Web+Search">Enes Kanter Freedom</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-former-nba-player-says-hes-entering-wnba-draft-threatens-discrimination-suit?row=0&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;rowType=Web+Search">Royce White</a> to declare for the next WNBA draft, claiming they identify as transgender and want to be accepted.
It remains unclear whether the WNBA would allow Kanter Freedom and White to participate in 2027 under current league guidelines if they are drafted. While the league&#8217;s collective bargaining agreement states that &#8220;only players who are women are eligible to play,&#8221; there is controversy over whether the WNBA would recognize trans-identifying men as women.

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