Royce White Plans to Declare for 2027 WNBA Draft as Transgender Woman

Former NBA forward Royce White announced plans to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft, stating he identifies as a transgender woman for the purpose of professional basketball. The declaration, made in early August 2026, follows a similar announcement from former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom and intensifies the ongoing debate over transgender athlete eligibility in women's sports. White, a 35-year-old Republican candidate in the 2026 U.S. Senate primary in Minnesota, made the announcement in interviews with Fox News on August 8 and 9, 2026.

White's statements challenge the WNBA's eligibility rules, which he argues are unclear. The league's collective bargaining agreement states that only players who are women are eligible to play, but the 409-page document does not define the term "woman" or address transgender eligibility. "It's just astounding that the WNBA can't define the W in the name," White said on August 9, 2026. He described the situation as part of a "very necessary conversation about who's actually eligible to play in some of these professional sports leagues."

In his remarks, White claimed his goal was to help elevate the WNBA and boost attendance. He also made a...