WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo to the WNBA Players’ Association, where she addresses the gender issue that might impact future WNBA Drafts.
Former NBA center Enes Kanter declared for the 2027 WNBA Draft as a major escalation of the recent debates over trans women participating in women’s sports.
The debate over trans athletes in the WNBA was started by Sophie Cunningham, but with Kanter and another former player, Royce White, declaring for the Draft, the WNBA has had to address this.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks on the topicIn a memo obtained by ESPN, Engelbert addressed the ongoing situation in detail while also revealing that this will be discussed by a task force of team presidents and general managers next week.
“Our player eligibility rules, unlike the eligibility rules of some other leagues and governing bodies, are collectively bargained. Lastly, preserving the integrity of our game and ensuring fair competition will always remain among the league’s highest priorities.”
The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement states that ‘only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,’ but this vague language is what Kanter and White are trying to attack by their declarations.
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesThe league will likely have to amend the language of its CBA in the offseason to specify the circumstances that might allow a trans athlete to eventually play in the WNBA, as a collectively bargained ban on trans athletes is unlikely given the support towards inclusion.
However, there are plenty of ways to ensure trans athletes do not have the advantages of being a cis man claiming to be trans for athletic reasons.
This topic will require plenty of meetings with the relevant WNBA stakeholders, but they will need a solution to avoid the kind of political attention that has surrounded the WNBA over the last few weeks.
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