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WNBA panics as more men declare for women’s draft

The league's commissioner sent out an urgent memo letting teams know that the definition of a woman will be addressed as the transgender debate heats up.
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Jonathon
Van
Maren
Jonathon Van Maren
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(LifeSiteNews) — As the controversy surrounding the Women’s National Basketball Association’s policies on trans-identifying male players grows, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has sent an emergency memo to the teams to let them know that league officials will be convening to address the question: What is a woman?

As I reported last week, the transgender debate has exploded inside the WNBA. First, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham told reporters that she doesn’t think men should be able to play on women’s teams or enter women’s private spaces. This triggered rallies both opposing and supporting Cunningham, as league officials avoided addressing the issue.

Then, over the weekend, two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, announced that they are identifying as women for the purposes of applying for the WNBA draft next season. The WNBA responded to Kanter and White – without naming them – by condemning “hate” and insisting that it will not be used as “political pawns”:


Meanwhile, other men announced that they, too, would be applying for the WNBA draft, including street comedian Adam Francisco.

“Proud of Enes Freedom for being his authentic self,” Francisco wrote on X. “If self-identification is the only requirement, I’m in. I too am declaring my eligibility for the 2027 WNBA Draft. No hormones. No surgery. No name change. No pronoun change. According to the current guidelines, none of that is necessary. I’m 43 and still recovering from a kidney transplant, but after watching some recent Angel Reese highlights, I’m confident I can contribute on the court and in the locker room.”

The LGBT movement is used to demanding that people serve as their “allies” and support their agenda; this strategic move by Kanter and White is both brilliant and unexpected. They are declaring their allyship – with the girls and women who are forced to share private spaces with boys and men and play against them in sporting leagues. The WNBA will now have to decide what to do about it – and it isn’t clear what its conclusion will be, either.

“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,” Engelbert wrote in a memo last Friday obtained by the Associated Press. “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.”

According to ESPN, the memo stated that “the topic will be discussed further by a task force of team presidents and general managers at a previously scheduled meeting” sometime this week and that the WNBA “always approach(es) this topic thoughtfully, respectfully, and in alignment with the long-standing values of our league. Second, 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,” Engelbert added. The collective bargaining agreement stipulates that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” but notably does not answer the question of what a woman actually is. Engelbert, in her memo, declined to address the question.

“We recognize that this is a complex and nuanced topic, and we will continue to have important conversations with all of you and the Players Association in the weeks and months ahead,” Engelbert stated. “We also plan to convene additional discussions and offer listening sessions for any team leaders who would like to participate. Your perspectives and feedback are invaluable, and I appreciate those who have already reached out to share their thoughts.”

In fact, the central question is already being debated by fans … with mixed results:

Meanwhile, the former NBA stars are keeping up the pressure, with White posting regular parodic pictures of his ongoing “transition” to female in preparation for the draft:


The entire situation, of course, is farcical. Enes Freedom knows it. Royce White knows it. Most of the WNBA players and their fans know it. The central question here is not: What is a woman? It is: Do officials leading the WNBA have the courage to state the obvious in the face of LGBT pressure?

Jonathon’s writings have been translated into more than six languages and in addition to LifeSiteNews, has been published in the National Post, National Review, First Things, The Federalist, The American Conservative, The Stream, the Jewish Independent, the Hamilton Spectator, Reformed Perspective Magazine, and LifeNews, among others. He is a contributing editor to The European Conservative.

His insights have been featured on CTV, Global News, and the CBC, as well as over twenty radio stations. He regularly speaks on a variety of social issues at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions in Canada, the United States, and Europe.

He is the author of The Culture War, Seeing is Believing: Why Our Culture Must Face the Victims of Abortion, Patriots: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Pro-Life Movement, Prairie Lion: The Life and Times of Ted Byfield, and co-author of A Guide to Discussing Assisted Suicide with Blaise Alleyne.

Jonathon serves as the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform.

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