Former NBA player Royce White made headlines last week amid the intensified debate over transgender eligibility in women’s sports, particularly the WNBA.
On Saturday, White announced his intention to play in the WNBA and enter the 2027 draft. He told Fox News’ Jackson Thompson that he considers himself eligible for the women’s league:
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“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.”
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In Monday’s episode of “The White House Podcast,” White addressed being transgender anew. He discussed the end of his NBA career, which was attributed to his fear of flying.
“I realized my fear of flying really wasn’t a fear of flying,” White said. “It was the transgender trapped inside of me, caged inside of me, that gave me an aversion to small spaces. … I think there’s plenty of people out there who have a transgender trapped deep down inside of them. And so they think they’re claustrophobic.
“Not really claustrophobic. It’s the transgender that’s trapped.”
The Houston Rockets selected White with the No. 16 pick of the 2012 NBA draft. The 6-foot-8 forward said in previous interviews that he had an agreement with the Rockets to travel by bus due to his fear of flying and anxiety disorder. However, it reportedly did not occur.
White was then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in July 2013 before being waived three months later. In March 2014, he signed with the Sacramento Kings and played in three NBA games. The Kings did not renew his 10-day contract.
White went on to play professional basketball overseas and pursued other endeavors, including mixed martial arts and politics. Currently, he is running in the Republican primary for Minnesota’s Senate seat.
Royce White says he wants to ‘elevate’ the WNBA
In recent years, the WNBA has achieved record attendance and viewership numbers. Former NBA player Royce White claimed that his addition to the WNBA would further “elevate” the popularity of the league.
In an interview with “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday, White told host Griff Jenkins that he could bring more fan interest in the women’s league.
“My goal is to help elevate the WNBA,” White said. “I think the ticket prices and the attendance will soar. I think the audience, the live audience will increase. And I think ultimately it’s good for the game. It’s going to help evolve the game.
“Who would argue that a player like myself or an Enes Kanter or, in the future, maybe even a LeBron James after he expires in the NBA. Maybe he wakes up one day and realizes he’s a woman as well. Who could argue that that wouldn’t make the women’s game better?”
Jenkins also addressed the lack of clarity in the WNBA eligibility rules. Article XIII, Section 1 of the current collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.”
The 409-page document also does not have a specific policy governing transgender or intersex eligibility in the league.
Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos
