Ty Lawson slams latest ex-NBA player to declare for WNBA draft: 'Mind ya business'

Ty Lawson slams latest ex-NBA player to declare for WNBA draft: 'Mind ya business' originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Former VCU and Milwaukee Bucks forward Larry Sanders became the third former NBA player to share public intentions to join the WNBA on Tuesday.

In a video posted to Instagram, Sanders followed Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White by saying he "would like to officially declare for the WNBA Draft." 

In response to Sanders, another former NBA guard, Ty Lawson, wrote on social media that Sanders was only trying to "cause an argument or controversy."

Here's what Lawson said in response to Sanders becoming the latest former NBA player to stir up controversy with announced intentions to join the WNBA.

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After Sanders posted his video to Instagram on Tuesday sharing plans to enter the WNBA Draft, Lawson was quick to call his fellow NBA alum out.

"I literally know Larry Sanders and know that he doesn’t identify as a woman," Lawson wrote on X. "But posts this to cause an argument or controversy. Like for what… now a days everybody want to argue about something. Let ppl do what they do and mind ya business smh."

I literally know Larry Sanders and know that he doesn’t identify as a woman. But posts this to cause an argument or controversy. Like for what… now a days everybody want to argue about something. Let ppl do what they do and mind ya business smh

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Sanders said in his video, recorded in a car, that he knew the rules to enter the WNBA Draft are "somewhat controversial" but he wants to "take advantage" of them.

"While I'm playing, I will be a woman," Sanders said. "I feel like given the recent news of who is going to be entering into the WNBA ... somebody got to get her. And I'm gonna be her to get her."

Sanders then appeared to tell his mother that he had just declared for the WNBA Draft, telling her, "All you have to do is say you're a woman."

A post shared by Dr. Larry Sanders II (@thereal_larrysanders)

Sanders' video made him the third former NBA player in the past week to share intentions to join the WNBA.

Enes Kanter Freedom was the first, announcing that he was declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft on Friday, claiming that he and his team found a loophole allowing him to play in the women's league.

"I know my presence on the court will stir up strong opinions. I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices," Freedom 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."

After that decision went viral, another former player, Royce White, did the same. White is also on the ballot for Minnesota’s Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, per Outkick.

"I'm transgender. I'm a woman. I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball, so I'll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well," White told OutKick.

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