Basketball Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller has voiced strong opposition to former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White's recent declarations to enter the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Miller described their actions as an attempt by outsiders to "hijack our network" and called the energy surrounding it "horrible."
Freedom and White have both recently made public statements indicating their intent to join the WNBA. Freedom posted a workout clip, stating he had begun his "transition" to becoming a WNBA player, while White shared a photo of himself in a wig, proclaiming he was entering his "feminine era" as a way to test league rules. These declarations come amidst an ongoing debate about transgender athlete inclusion in women's sports.
Miller, who is also the sister of NBA legend Reggie Miller, stated that while she would have welcomed both players as fans in the past, she has no interest in their current actions. "I'm not giving them, those two in particular, a whole lot of thought because there's outsiders looking to hijack our network. It's horrible energy," Miller told TMZ Sports. "I would have loved to see these two sitting courtside, you know, watching the game 30 years ago, 20 years ago, five years ago, five minutes ago. But now all of a sudden, y'all got a collective think tank? Man, shut that noise up."
Instead of focusing on what she views as distractions, Miller emphasized her commitment to the WNBA season. "All I'm focused on, for real, is 13 games remaining in The Dub [WNBA]. Playoffs are around the corner. That's what my focus is about," she said.
While acknowledging the need for the league to address transgender participation policies, Miller suggested that such discussions should occur after the current season concludes. "I would definitely let cooler heads prevail right now," Miller stated. "We want to protect everyone. And we don't want to exclude anyone, but I just think we all have to sit down in the off-season and collectively get our heads and minds around this issue. Obviously, it's a hotbed."
The controversy gained significant attention after Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham advocated for restrictions to "protect young girls" from "biological men" in sports. This stance has contributed to a division among fans, players, and coaches within the WNBA. Freedom and White's claims to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft have further intensified the discourse on social media.