WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told teams the league will keep weighing whether transgender athletes should be eligible to compete in the league, according to a memo sent Friday. The note landed the same day two former NBA players said they plan to enter the next WNBA Draft.
Engelbert wrote that a task force of team presidents and general managers will take up the topic at a previously scheduled meeting next week.
What Sparked the WNBA's Trans Athlete Policy Memo?
Controversy grew after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham voiced support last month for barring trans girls and women from women's sports. Then Enes Freedom, a former NBA center, and Royce White announced plans to declare for the 2027 draft. Their statements pushed the issue back into headlines.
"I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention," Engelbert wrote, per ESPN. She thanked staff and players who had fielded media questions with care.
Players, WNBPA Respond to Transgender Athlete Issue
The WNBA Players Association had already weighed in on the debate earlier in the week. The union leaned on diversity and inclusion but drew a firm line, saying its members "will not be used as political pawns."
"Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm," the WNBPA statement read. "We embrace justice equity, diversity, and inclusion. Those are the values that unite this Union and allow it to protect women's sports while creating transformational change."
