{"id":2642302,"date":"2026-08-09T07:38:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T11:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/second-former-nba-player-declares-for-the-wnba-draft-as-controversy-escalates\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T07:40:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T11:40:28","slug":"second-former-nba-player-declares-for-the-wnba-draft-as-controversy-escalates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/second-former-nba-player-declares-for-the-wnba-draft-as-controversy-escalates\/","title":{"rendered":"Second Former NBA Player Declares for the WNBA Draft as Controversy Escalates"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsecond-former-nba-player-declares-for-the-wnba-draft-as-controversy-escalates%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2642302&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former NBA player Royce White has announced that he now identifies as a transgender woman and plans too declare for the 2027 WNBA draft. White claims he wants to play in the WNBA and seeks fair treatment, suggesting he might pursue legal action if he faces discrimination. he emphasizes his basketball skills and team-focused attitude, highlighting his previous achievements. White&#8217;s declaration has sparked debate about transgender athletes in women&#8217;s sports, with some critics questioning the fairness of men competing as women. The WNBA\u2019s current rules specify eligibility based on being women, but do not define gender or address claims by individuals who identify as transgender. White, a Republican Senate candidate, has received both support and criticism, and his move has been viewed as perhaps a political stunt. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >situation underscores ongoing tensions<\/a> regarding gender identity and sports regulation.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Former NBA player Royce White has decided that he is now a transgender athlete and wants to play in the WNBA \u2014 or at least that\u2019s what the former player and former Republican senate candidate is saying.<\/p>\n<p>White said he is declaring for the 2027 WNBA draft, and suggested a lawsuit could be in the wings if he gets a cold shoulder, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/outkick-sports\/former-nba-player-royce-white-declaring-next-wnba-draft-enes-kanter-announcement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Enes Kanter Freedom, also known for conservative activism, made a similar announcement Friday.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">\u201cI\u2019m transgender. I\u2019m a woman. I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball, so I\u2019ll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">EXCLUSIVE: Former NBA first-round pick Royce White says he\u2019s declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft, claiming he now identifies as transgender for the purpose of playing professional basketball.<\/p>\n<p>The 6-foot-8 former Houston Rockets draft pick follows fellow former NBA player Enes\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/yUI8NdoiaX\">pic.twitter.com\/yUI8NdoiaX<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FoxNews\/status\/2085913583502680126?\">August 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">\u201cI think I\u2019d be unstoppable. But I\u2019m a team-first guy. I\u2019m a pass-first kind of player. I do the little things. I led my team in all five major stat categories at Iowa State University, so I do a little bit of everything. I\u2019ll do whatever the coach needs me to do. I\u2019ll do whatever the girls need me to do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s only fair,\u201d the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota said.<\/p>\n<p>Debates about transgender athletes in general and men playing among women have been bouncing about the WNBA ever since Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said men do not belong in women\u2019s sports, followed by Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve taking the opposite position.<\/p>\n<p>White noted that the WNBA has never said he could not play.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I\u2019m now transgender. I\u2019m going to pursue a career in the WNBA\u2026 I identify as a sometimes identifying trans woman. I wish to be treated fairly and don\u2019t want to be discriminated against. This is a serious pursuit. I realize after 35 years, I\u2019m actually a woman.<\/p>\n<p>Royce White for\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Ze0Ap0V9s6\">pic.twitter.com\/Ze0Ap0V9s6<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Royce White \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Highway_30) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Highway_30\/status\/2084672005501001927?\">August 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">\u201cI think the WNBA could come out and make a definitive statement about guys with a pair of balls playing in the Women\u2019s Association,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">\u201cI don\u2019t want to be discriminated against. I want fair treatment. I\u2019m a young black, hopefully United States Senator that would like a fair chance to participate as a sometimes-identifying-as-a-transgender-woman athlete.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">If he is not selected, he may go to a different kind of court.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I haven\u2019t even been publicly trans for 72 hours and I\u2019m already getting so much hate.<\/p>\n<p>I just want to hoop with my girls in my feminine era! Why can\u2019t y\u2019all be happy for me? \ud83d\udc85\ud83c\udffd <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9QWOrgsoZH\">pic.twitter.com\/9QWOrgsoZH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Royce White \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Highway_30) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Highway_30\/status\/2085939922091770296?\">August 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have to file a discrimination lawsuit, right? I mean, that\u2019s, that\u2019s ridiculous,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna have to have a huge legal battle about discrimination if I can\u2019t play.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The WNBA \u2019s 2026 collective bargaining agreement says \u201conly players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There is no definition of women, and the issue of men playing in the WNBA by saying they identify as female is not discussed.<\/p>\n<p>The Women\u2019s National Basketball Players Association, which often promotes left-wing politics, has said that it embraces \u201cjustice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I\u2019m not seeing many people say this but Royce White is literally on the ballot for GOP nomination for Senate in Minnesota this Tuesday. He\u2019s endorsed by Matt Gaetz, Kari Lake, and MyPillow Guy Mike Lindell. White declaring for the WNBA might be the craziest campaign stunt ever. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/chCbiVT60n\">https:\/\/t.co\/chCbiVT60n<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sldg5ftYOM\">pic.twitter.com\/sldg5ftYOM<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 frogged (@BecomeFrogged) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BecomeFrogged\/status\/2086140206445379606?\">August 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cHate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm. We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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